b5media.com

Advertise with us

Enjoying this blog? Check out the rest of the Lifestyles Channel Subscribe to this Feed

Quilting and Patchwork

The Famous Sears Roebuck Quilt Contest

by Mary Emma Allen on October 2nd, 2006

I first learned of the famous Sears, Roebuck Quilt Competition in Jennifer Chiaverini’s Elm Creek novels about quiltmakers.  Since then, I’ve come across references frequently.  Or perhaps since I know know about the contest, my attention is alerted.

This very popular contest in 1933 had a $1,000 prize with an additional $200 if the quilt had a Century of Progress theme.  (The quilt competition was conducted in honor of the Chicago Century of Progress Fairor Exposition.)

In additon to the monetary prize, the winning quilt held the honor of being given to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Sears placed a small, 2 x 3-inch notice, in it’s catalog for January of that year about the quilt competition.  Close to 25,000 entries were received by May 15!

An Elm Creek Quilts Sampler: The First Three Novels in the Popular Series (Elm Creek Quilters Novels)

Barbara Brackman and Merikay Waldvogel have researched and written about this event and the quilts involved.

 Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 World’s Fair/the Sears National Quilt Contest and Chicago’s Century of Progress Exposition

You’ll also find information on these quilts in Twentieth Century Quilts, 1900-1950 by Thomas K. Woodard and Blanche Greenstein.

Twentieth Century Quilts 1900-1950

Tags: , , , , , , ,

POSTED IN: Books and Magazines, General Quilting/Patchwork

0 opinions for The Famous Sears Roebuck Quilt Contest

  • No one has left a comment yet. You know what this means, right? You could be first!

Have an opinion? Leave a comment: