Winnetka Local History Digital Collections

Winnetka Weekly Talk, 22 Sep 1928, p. 54

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4 wt " -- ow September 22, 1928 WINNETKA TALK 53 EE. ERE REVIVAL OF QUILTING FOLLOWS ANTIQUES Early American Needlecraft In- terests Modern Worker in Patterns Quilting as an art has been revived. The collector's passion for early Americana has created a demand for the quilt. The color and life of the old fashioned quilt recommends it for use in the bedroom that might not be so pleasant otherwise. The fanciful old cotton quilt often had a color scheme of blue and white, red and white, red and yellow, or any other combination of calico that was handy. Often the calico in a quilt had a history, this piece was from Annie's first school dress and the other was from Sarah's first apron. Later on, when the crazy quilts made from silks and velvets came into style, the rag bag of every branch of the family was ransacked to provide interesting and pretty bits of material. Some of these quilts were works of art, beautiful in color and design. One pair of quilts which is the pride of a family, is made up of innumerable small pieces not over twelve square inches on the surface and some of them smaller. Many of the plain pieces are embroidered in chenille, making an array of birds, pussy cats, butter- flies, fans, and all the flowers not in the botany books. The centers of the flowers are made with cut steel and bronze beads. The backs of the quilts are covered with red satin and bound around with a gold colored silk cord. Such quilts as this one are not made any more, and it is doubtful if they will ever be made again. Too much patience is required of the needle worker to produce such an article. The quilts today follow the patchwork cotton quilts of grandmother's day. Historical Background The art of pieced patchwork is not even as new as our grandmother's day. It was born in the East and brought to the West by the Crusaders returning from the wars of the eleventh century. It quickly spread throughout the countries and became a favorite pastime of the court women. The history of applique work is not so easily traced. Banners were ap- pliqued with emblems and symbols and many wall hangings were appliqued with the most elaborate designs. Later on, applique was used to ornament dresses, Queen Elizabeth sponsoring much of the work. Among the famous pieced designs are the pine tree, the star, and the basket designs. Appliqued designs are such as the horn of plenty, wild rose, tulip, and several other designs that have been especially attractive. Closet Decorator Calls for Shelves, Boxes With Color Modern closets are almost a tragedy to the old fashioned housekeeper. She scarcely knows what to make of the little bandbox closet after she is used to seeing the great storage rooms of the past. The rooms have the same name but they are far different. Pic- ture the old "armoir" in which all the clothes were hung on hooks, the shoes were all on the floor, and hats were kept on a single shelf. The closet decorator of today throws up her hands in horror at such waste space. A pole and plenty of hangers go across one end of the dress closet. A shoe trunk is placed at another end, a gay little shoe box with a dozen or more compartments for shoes and a drawer for hose perhaps, all decorated in cretonnes or painted to match the interior of the closet. A tier of shelves is placed over the shoe box, some of them with doors to keep the light summer hats clean. The only thing radically wrong with the shelves is that the carpenter or dec- orator or whoever it is that designs them often forgets that all of us are not six feet tall, so some closets in- clude a step similar to the one great- grandmother used to climb into bed. The important thing about closet decoration is, of course, the color scheme. It seems as though the dec- oration of a closet sometimes reveals a suppressed color desire or style desire. In a home furnished in the modern- istic manner throughout, the closet, particularly a dressing closet, will be all frills and furbelows. In another sort of home, the closet will be in a daring style, perhaps quite an attractive style that the amateur decorator is afraid to handle in a larger space. Colors in a closet should be light, for at their best they are usually a dark room. Again, the color or paper used in the closet should have a glaze or surface which will prevent rubbing off onto the clothes. USE BLACK DIRT The black dirt on a lot is often wasted when new homes are built. Be- fore the excavation is done and the terraces plotted, the black dirt should be skinned from the lot and piled to the back or around the edges. This will leave ample black dirt for the flower beds and the lawn instead of leaving clay and sand exposed. COFFEE TABLE IS MODISH The coffee table has lately become a necessary adjunct to our living room. The smartest models are low, most of them about twenty-four inches in height, with a marble top and base of iron or carved wood. A few of them recently are trays of India brass sup- ported with teak-wood bases. THOMAS J. LYNCH Tree Surgeons The North Shore's Largest and Best Equipped Tree Surgery Organization Pruning - Tree Surgery - Power Sprayers Spraying Pneumatic Cavity Machines GLENCOE 514 Phones WINNETKA 1294 North Shore Florist and Landscape Service Plans Evergreens Designs SPECIALISTS Shade Trees I Estimates in Fruit Trees Formal LANDSCAPE GARDENING Shrubs Gardens Roses Planting Perennials Trimming 390 Jefferson Avenue Vines 1 Spraying GLENCOE Rockery Rustic Work J-- Plants Pools Phone GLENCOE 609 Stones A COMPLETE SERVICE Black Soil FOR EVERY REQUIREMENT Manure 50,000 BULBS FOR FALL PLANTING Hyacinths - Tulips - Crocus - Galanthus - Scille - Daffodils Lily-of-the- Valley 25 SHRUBS FREE With every purchase of 100 shrubs during the month of September we will give 25 shrubs free. This offer ex- pires October lst. Now is the time to have us do your planting. We have a complete assortment of fine evergreens, fruit and shade TIX THE FIREPLACE is the most important feature in the home. Let REES submit the proper fireside accessories. Andirons Firetools Sereens Fenders Magicoal Grates Wood Holders 'Wood Baskets Driftwood Electric Logs with or without Heating Units Ee KEES Rees s Building, 4416 North Clark St. Interior Tile Installations and Distinctive Furnishings Open--T uesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. - PHONE--LONG BEACH 8223-24 FIREPLACES trees and perennials, all carefully grown in our own nur- sery located on Route 22, one and one-half miles west of Milwaukee Avenue. OUR CATALOG GLADLY SENT ON REQUEST Telephone Highland Park 523 Landscape ening 49 PRAIRIE AVENUE HIGHWOOD. ILL.

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