QUILT INDEX RECORD

33-29-65

Description of quilt:

This quilt made with a Martha Vineyard's pattern in the Mountain Mist line.

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. Georgia Litsey of Leitchfield, Kentucky won second place in the Memphis regional with a Stearns & Foster pattern. It was sent to Chicago where it competed in the final round and it was displayed during the summer of 1933 at the Sears Pavilion. Georgia Litsey is one of six Kentucky quiltmakers who reached the final round. Fritz Hooker, Sales Manager of Stearns & Foster, visited the exhibition and followed up with letters to contestants who used Mountain Mist patterns. Georgia Litsey's response and her photo was printed in an advertisement for Stearns & Foster in the 1935 Mountain Mist Blue Book of Quilts. In regards to her Martha's Vineyard quilt, she was quoted as saying: "As for Mountain Mist Quilt Patterns, I'll just say this: I have used eight of them so far, and have taken prizes with four of them. My 'Martha's Vineyard' was a Century of Progress prize-winner in 1933. I know that these fine patterns were a marvelous help to me in securing prize-winning results." Dr. William Rush Dunton Jr. visited the exhibit at the Sears Pavilion and took notes on the prize-winning quilts. About Georgia Litsey's quilt, he wrote: "Martha's Vineyard -- same as 3rd prize Seattle."

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:

033

Source of the information on this quilt:

Friends who remembered the quilter.

When was the form filled out?

1982

Describe the relationship to the quilt's maker:

In response to a letter Brackman sent to a Leitchfield, KY newspaper, several people who knew Georgia Litsey responded.

Who helped you fill out the form?

Barbara Brackman

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Martha's Vineyard

Brackman # or other source & #:

16.55 Encyclopedia of Applique

What color is the quilt?

Green; Purple; White

Overall color scheme:

Bright or primary colors

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt finished?

1933

Further information concerning dates:

Copyright 1931 on the Martha's Vineyard Mountain Mist pattern.

Describe the quilt's layout:

Other

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

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

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

The actual quilt was sold in the 1960s; therefore, colors, fabrics, and quilting designs are only suppositions based on the Mountain Mist pattern instructions.

Quilt top made by:

Litsey, Georgia

Quilted by:

Wilson, Mrs. Blaine

Where the quilt was made, city:

Leitchfield

Where the quilt was made, state:

Kentucky (KY)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

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

According to Martha Moorman of Leitchfield, KY (Letter to B Brackman, Sept 13, 1982), "Mrs. Litsey died in January 1964 and a public sale was held later in theyear, so no on seems to know for sure just who did get the prize-winning quilt."

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:

Martha's Vineyard, Mountain Mist pattern line, Stearns & Foster Co.

Where did the quiltmaker find the pattern for the quilting design on the quilt?

Commercial pattern

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

The quilt was probably exhibited in Memphis, TN where it won second place in that regional contest. It also was exhibited at the Sears Pavilion at the Chicago World's Fair during the summer of 1933.

Contests entered:

Sears 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), 101, 104, 106

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

Mountain Mist Blue Book of Famous Quilt Designs (Cincinnati: Stearns & Foster, 1935).

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Helmsitter

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's birth date:

06-22-1882

Quiltmaker's date and place of death:

1964

Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:

Methodist

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

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

Armstrong, Rhea (died 1920s); Litsey, George

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

Farmer (Armstrong); Lawyer (Litsey)

Quiltmaker's city:

Leitchfield

Quiltmaker's state:

Kentucky (KY)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Income

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

20-50 quilts

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

Describe any favorite patterns, tools, etc. used by the quiltmaker:

According to the testimonial published by Mountain Mist, she said "I have been interested in quilts for years. Ever since Mountain Mist Quilting Cotton came out, I have insisted on it for the filling of my quilts. I knew when I first heard of it that it would bring an amazing improvement over other types of quilt filling. Mrs. blaine Wilson, of Travellers Rest, Kentucky who does the actual quilting of my tops for me, tells me that this filling is a great deal easier to use; and I know from experience that my Mountain Mist filled quilts wash perfectly, and have that evenly padded look that means so much to fine quilting." 1935 Blue Book of Mountain Mist Designs.

Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:

According to a letter from a close neighbor (Margaret Moorman) "I do know that she had the Mountain ladies of Kentucky to do actual quilting finish which cost about $20.0 to $30.00 a quilt back in late 1920s and 1930s." This same respondent reported in 1982 that Georgia Litsey did quilt tops for Cincinnati Mountain Mist Cotton establishment which supplied her with patterns and material to make quilts for herself too. (Sept 1, 1982 letter from Margaret Moorman to Barbara Brackman). Mountain Mist routinely employed professional quilters to make the Mountain Mist patterns into quilts. These quilts became part of the Mountain Mist Collection which was used for many years for publicity at quilt events, state fairs, department store windows, etc.

Access and copyright information:

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