Quilting: A Summer Hobby – The Kansas City Star

By Jody Edwards, Desert Threads Quilt Chapter of AQG

Once again Desert Threads Quilters invites you back in time to the days when quilt patterns were delivered to you in your newspaper. This month let’s look at The Kansas City Star!

The Kansas City Star newspaper played a significant role in fostering the quilting tradition by regularly featuring quilt patterns in its pages. This practice, which began in 1928 with the "Pine Tree" pattern, was the brainchild of quilt designer Ruby Short McKim and Nell Snead, the editor of the paper's women's section. Recognizing the growing popularity of quilting, they aimed to attract more female readers by providing a weekly dose of creative inspiration. 

The Kansas City Star's quilt patterns quickly became a popular and influential resource for quilters across the country. They continued this tradition for 34 years, publishing a vast collection of patterns that have become cherished by quilters and collectors alike.  The patterns featured a wide range of styles and skill levels, from beginner-friendly blocks to more intricate designs.

In honor of this newspaper's dedication to featuring quilt patterns which helped to celebrate and promote the craft of quilting, a special quilt block pattern was named for them. The Kansas City Star Quilt Block is made entirely of squares in different sizes with 3 colors of fabric and 1 background color. For a 12” finished block you will need:

4 – 4.5” squares, and 20 – 2.5” squares in your background color (usually light color)
5 – 4.5” squares in a Medium/Print color
8 – 2.5” squares in a Medium/Solid color
8 – 2.5” squares in a Dark/Print or Solid color

If you would like to make a Traditional Kansas City Star quilt block, detailed instructions can be found at: https://fabric406.com/blogs/fabric406-blog/how-to-sew-the-traditional-kansas-star-quilt-block-a-free-tutorial. They also have a YouTube video tutorial!

If you want to make a Kansas City Star Quilt block or any other quilt block and want help, advice or just company while making it, a member of Desert Threads would be happy to help. You can send us an email at info@desertthreads.org or attend one of our informal group meetings. Our group meets the second Wednesday of each month during the summer months (June-Aug). The group meets at 10 a.m. in the Cottonwood Computer Learning Center for a very informal gathering to share “show and tell” projects and visit, with several members meeting for lunch after. We also have time slots available all summer in the Oakwood Sewing room where members meet and work on individual or group projects together.

For quilters, sewing is always fun, but it’s more fun when it’s done with friends!

Finally.. the Desert Threads website is up and going!  There's still plenty of work to be done - and the most exciting part will be once we get the payment section online and the classes and events for this fall start showing up.

Watch for a notice about registering for the QOV challenge.  I know y'all have been working hard on getting them done.

See something you think would help the website be even better?  Be sure  to put in a note on the forum.  There is a section for members Q&A.  Have questions that aren't listed yet?  Let us know!

Quilting: A Great Summer Hobby

By Jody Edwards, Desert Threads Quilt Chapter of AQG

As we all know, Arizona has the perfect weather for many winter activities and hobbies.  But in the summer months we look for different types of activities to fill those long hot days and quilting is a great hobby for summers in Arizona. This summer Desert Threads invites you back in time to the days when quilt patterns were delivered to you in your newspaper. 

One of the more intriguing chapters in quilting history is the period when newspapers printed quilt block patterns. The practice of publishing quilt patterns in newspapers became a widespread phenomenon in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These patterns were typically published in the form of detailed instructions, illustrations, and sometimes even full-page spreads dedicated to quilting. Readers could cut out the patterns, follow the step-by-step directions, and recreate intricate designs.

The first known instances of quilt block patterns being published in newspapers date back to the 1870s. In 1876, the New York Times published a pattern for a popular design known as "The Farmer’s Daughter," a geometric quilt block that would later become a staple in American quilting.

If you would like to try making a Farmer’s Daughter quilt block, detailed instructions can be found at: scrapdash.com/farmers-daughter-quilt-block or generations-quilt-patterns.com/farmers-daughter-quilt-block. The quilt block can easily be made from 3 colors of fabric: 1 medium color, 1 dark color and 1 background color (usually light).  The block can be made in many sizes. The Scrapdash pattern calls for: (5) dark color 3” squares, (8) background 3” squares, (8) medium color 3” squares and (4) 3”x8” background rectangles. That will give you everything you need for the nine-patch center unit and four star-point units!

Quilting was often a communal activity. In rural areas, women would gather together for quilting bees, where they would share stories and work on quilts for personal or charitable purposes. Today we call those chapter meetings and sew days!

If you want to make a Farmer’s Daughter Block or any other quilt block and want help, advice or just company while making it, a member of Desert Threads would be happy to help. You can send us an email at info@desertthreads.org or attend one of our informal group meetings. Our group meets the second Wednesday of each month during the summer months (June-Aug). The group meets at 10 a.m. in the Cottonwood Computer Learning Center for a very informal gathering to share “show and tell” projects and visit, with several members meeting for lunch after. We also have time slots available all summer in the Oakwood Sewing room where members meet and work on individual or group projects together.

For quilters, sewing is always fun, but it’s more fun when it’s done with friends!

So far the structure for the Desert Threads website is coming together.  The members have been loaded and we will test the renewal process once we go live in July.  

The public and member sections have been defined and some info - like this blog are been created.  

Yet to look at - how to set up programs, the financial portion for receiving payments, and much more..