QUILT INDEX RECORD

33-29-13

Description of quilt:

Silhouette appliqué quilt of a multitude of modes of transportation from 1833 to 1933

Essay:

This quilt with the dates 1833 and 1933 marking the century of progress celebrated in the 1933 Chicago World's Fair focuses on the theme of transportation. Evidence that it was finished in time is visible at the quilt's bottom right corner if you look closely. A tiny white fabric is left sewn to the binding. On closer examination, it is a portion of the original contest tag that all entrants were asked to affix to their quilts, The 1933 Sears National Quilt Contest was announced in January 1933 with a deadline of May 15, 1933. Over 24,000 quilts were entered at local Sears stores or sent to one of 10 regional mail order houses. Quilts were judged at each site with the top three winners moving onto the next round. Finally just 30 quilts reached the final judging held at the Sears Pavilion on the 1933 Chicago World's Fair site. The bonus prize of $200 prompted quiltmakers like Elizabeth Fitzgerald to take the time to make a one of a kind quilt. Unfortunatley, the judges did not choose such a quilt design for the top prize.

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Merikay Waldvogel Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Merikay Waldvogel Legacy Project; Sears Quilt Contest 1933 Chicago World's Fair

Merikay Waldvogel Legacy Project Number:

073

Person filling out this form is:

Daughter of quiltmaker

When was the form filled out?

1991

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Inherited

Who helped you fill out the form?

Brackman and Waldvogel

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Transportation Quilt (Commemorative Quilt-Green Merit Ribbon)

How wide is the quilt?

69 inches

How long is the quilt?

82 inches

What color is the quilt?

Blue or Navy; Red; White

Overall color scheme:

Bright or primary colors

Type of inscription:

Date; Single

What is inscribed on the quilt?

1833 1933 Eliz Fitzgerald

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Describe the method used to inscribe the quilt:

Applique dates

Location of inscription:

multiple locations

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt started?

1933

When was the quilt finished?

1933

Subject of the quilt:

Modes of Transportation

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Solid/plain

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Blanket, buttonhole, or other decorative applique stitch; Hand Applique

Novelty techniques used to make the quilt top:

Dimensional applique

Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:

The silhouettes of vehicles are exceptionally detailed using applique, folding and embroidery.

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Meander/free motion

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Other

Describe the quilting designs used:

With her meandering quilting design, she often created a proper background for each mode of transportation--clouds around the airplanes, waves under the boats, etc.

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

The quilter uses white quilting thread and takes long stitches which contrast with the red and blue squares.

Quilt top made by:

Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Skelly

Quilted by:

Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Skelly

Where the quilt was made, city:

Highland Falls

Where the quilt was made, state:

New York (NY)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Inheritance

Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

The quilt was owned jointly by her daughter and son.

Why was the quilt made?

Challenge or Contest entry

Quilt is presently used as:

Keepsake/memento

Where did the maker get their materials?

Purchased new

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

According to niece, the quiltmaker talked of pullng threads in the applique to make the portholes (for example).

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

This quilt was included in the travelling exhibition of 30 quilts entitled “Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 World’s Fair” curated by Merikay Waldvogel and Barbara Brackman. The Knoxville Museum of Art and Smith-Kramer, Inc. coordinated the travelling exhibition to the following sites: Jan 7-Feb 7, 1994 Palm Beach, FL (The Society of the Four Arts); Mar 20-July 17, 1994 Lexington, MA (Museum of Our National Heritage); Aug 7–Sep 25, 1994 Midland, MI (Midland Center for the Arts); Oct 16–Dec 4, 1994 Logan, KS (Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum; Dec 18, 1994–Apr 23, 1995 Chicago, IL (Chicago Cultural Center); May 10-Jul 2, 1995 Grosse Pointe Shores, MI (Edsel and Eleanor Ford House); Jul 23-Sep 10, 1995 Los Angeles, CA (Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum); Oct 1-Nov 19, 1995 Janesville, WI (Rock County Historical Society); Dec 10, 1995-Jan 28, 1996 Neenah, WI (Bergstrom-Mahler Museum); Feb 18-Apr 8, 1996 Lexington, KY (University of Kentucky Art Museum); May 3-July 24, 1996 Knoxville, TN (Knoxville Museum of Art).

Contests entered:

1933 Sears National Quilt Contest, 1933 Chicago World's Fair This quilt was documented in the New York State quilt project.

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

Merikay Waldvogel and Barbara Brackman. Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 World's Fair (Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill Press, 1993), pp. 69-71.

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

Family owns also the printed materials Elizabeth kept from the contest including a copy of the brochure, a letter dated June 1,1933 from Sue Roberts saying her quilt had arrived safely. And another letter dated June 15 (Philadelphia) telling her she had not won a prize and the quilt was being returned. Letter also included the list of Regional and Mail Order Prize Winners in the Philadelphia region.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Skelly

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's birth date:

02/13/1898

Quiltmaker's date and place of death:

04/11/1985

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):

Fitzgerald, Jesse

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:

Elizabeth Skelly was a single woman in 1933. She was a telephone operator and a school cook. When she read about the contest, she took the challenge of creating an original design to commemorate the Century of Progress. She researched transportation and tried to include every available mode of transportation. She sent her quilt to the Philadelphia mail-order center for judging, but her quilt did not win a prize.

Who photographed this quilt?

Gary Heatherly

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Merikay Waldvogel