One Mississippi... Two Mississippi

Just received Mississippi in the mail. Thanks to Marguerite, who has completed two squares. I heard from Ann that her bird is ready to mail. Will be posting new pictures soon.

A Weekend in the Country

I'm here in McDaniel crossroads for the annual Sorghum Festival. I'll be seeing lots of family here, so I hope to recruit some more help for the quilt squares.

One down, forty-nine to go!

Calling all Voluteers

We now have 37 state bird squares, ready to sew. I have spent the day cutting out patterns, scanning them, and ironing onto the cream colored muslin. I'll be putting together some packages to be sent out over the next few days.

Final Count: 13 States with No Pattern

My first review was not thorough enough... Now I really have done a complete comparison of our pattern to Eva's quilt. There are 11 states that don't match and two states that we don't have. We'll be busy enough with the other 37 states until we can find a later version of the pattern.

The Search Continues

I found another pattern for sale on ebay today. This has the name of the pattern maker, which is Laura Wheeler. That should help in the ongoing search for patterns. Sadly, this pattern is missing Alaska and Hawaii and also appears to have North Carolina as a Chickadee.

The Cardinals Are Missing

I have finally matched up all the birds in the picture to the transfer pattern. Final result: no pattern for Hawaii and Alaska. The patterns for North Carolina, Virginia and South Dakota don't match Eva's quilt. Also, today I bought six yards of fabric. Over the next few days, I'll be cutting out 10 inch squares.

Chickadee or Cardinal?

In 1948, North Carolina elected the Cardinal as it's state bird. Prior to that, it was a Chickadee. It appears that the pattern we purchased has a Chickadee as North Carolina's bird (see previous post). We know that Eva's quilt had the Cardinal as the NC state bird. Here is a photo I found from a different quilt that has a Cardinal This may have been the pattern Eva used. Given that the family has been in North Carolina for over 250 years, (and seeing as how the quilt was made there), it's fairly important that we get this one right!!

We have a pattern

I just purchased the pattern on ebay. Can't wait to get started.

Mom and I will start recruiting soon for family members to help us with the blocks.

Let the sewing commence!

Success

Cousins Marguerite & Arnold found a picture. I'm not sure how many albums they scoured, but sure am glad they found one. Using that picture we were able to identify the pattern and found one for sale on ebay. The bidding is underway.....

The Search

An internet search yielded several vintage state bird patterns: Aunt Martha, Grit, Laura Wheeler, Nadine Bradley and assorted others. No one seemed to know which pattern was sold via Progressive Farmer magazine.


My mother looked through hours of family reunion video. The only quilt images were too fleeting and out of focus to identify a pattern.

History

In the 1960's, my great uncle Gladston Matthis (A.K.A Uncle Doodle) mail ordered a quilt pattern from Progressive Farmer magazine. The iron transfer embroidery pattern contained 48 state birds. My great grand-mother, Eva Mae Ezzell Matthis, completed this quilt for Doodle. For many years after her passing in 1970, Doodle kept the quilt in his room and would occasionally show it to visitors. At some time during the last 10 years or so, Doodle hung the quilt up (with nails ~cringe~) in the family room. It was especially enjoyed during the annual family reunion each June.






John Ernest Matthis
& Family c. 1926

Top: John Ernest, Eva, Oleta, Ellen, Vaiden
Bottom: Clifton, Gladston, Belvin