QUILT INDEX RECORD

33-29-26

Description of quilt:

Winner of the second place national prize by Mabel Langley of Dallas, Texas. She used a pattern published by the St.Louis Fancy Work Company of St. Louis Missouri.

Essay:

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. This quilt by Mabel Langley of Dallas epitomizes the highest quality of quilting and applique being done in the 1930s. It rose through local and regional judging rounds to the final round where it won second place. The pattern, Colonial Rose, is a commercial pattern based on the traditional Rose of Sharon applique design. This quilt was not available for inclusion in the travelling exhibit, but detail slides of the quilting were provided. The top three quilts were photographed along with the judges by Sears in 1933. The photograph appeared in newspapers throughout the United States following the May 1933 judging. The actual quilt has not been examined by Brackman or Waldvogel. The information included in this record comes only from the photographic images and from a photocopied letter sent by Langley to quiltmaker Mrs. Virgil Carpenter (see #008).

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:

028

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Colonial Rose

What color is the quilt?

Green; Pink; Yellow

Overall color scheme:

Light or pastel colors

Damage:

Fading

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt started?

1933

When was the quilt finished?

1933

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric types used to make the quilt top:

Sateen

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Solid/plain

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Grid diamond

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Feathering

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Grid/crosshatch

Quilt top made by:

Langley, Mabel

Quilted by:

Langley, Mabel

Where the quilt was made, city:

Dallas

Where the quilt was made, state:

Texas (TX)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Why was the quilt made?

Challenge or Contest entry

Where did the maker get their materials?

Purchased new

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Commercial/Published source: Pattern

Commercial name of the pattern for the top:

#1213 Colonial Rose, St. Louis Fancy Work Co., St. Louis, MO

Contests entered:

Dallas Local and Regional Contests and National Round of Sears National Quilt Contest, 1933 Chicago World's Fair

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), pg 29, 43 and 108.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Langley, Mabel

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Urban

Quiltmaker's city:

Dallas

Quiltmaker's state:

Texas (TX)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:

Mabel Langley replied to another prize winner, Mrs. Carpenter, who asked about the pattern Miss Langley used for her quilt. Mrs. Carpenter kept the letter. July 14, 1933 Dallas, Texas Dear Mrs. Carpenter: Thank you kindly for your congratulation. Am sorry your quilt failed to win a prize. Am sure it was lovely. Sorry I don't have the pattern of mine but am sending a picture of it. You can obtain the pattern by sending 10 cents to "St. Louis Fancy Work Co." St. Louis Mo. Ask for "Colonial Rose" pattern #1213. Made mine of good grade of sateen in colors I'm enclosing. Am sure your Rsing Sun is lovely. Would sure like to have the pattern. I won first prize in Regional Contest here also first in local. If not too much trouble woul you please send me your pattern. Sincerely, Mabel Langley 3013 No. Fitzhugh

Who photographed this quilt?

Gary Heatherly

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Merikay Waldvogel