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