30 Peterson's Stars & Stripes

Peterson's Stars & Stripes
By Becky Brown

Mary Rockhold Teter's Stars and Stripes quilt

is in the Smithsonian Institution

In July, 1861 Peterson's Magazine published a color sketch of "The Stars & Stripes Bed Quilt". The full-page design showed half the quilt. It's the earliest color quilt pattern yet found in an American periodical. 

Here's a black & white photocopy of the microfilm

---the best image I could find.

The center showed 17 stars, half the official number. The new state of Kansas had recently joined as the 34th Star. Several quilters were inspired to make up the design.

And each treated the center in different fashion. These two are from online auctions.

Above is a block in an appliqued sampler from the collection of the American Folk Art Museum. Because many of you followers are new to applique I thought it would be best to simplify this block. One star/ six stripes!

Cutting an 8" Finished Block

A Cut 3 red and 3 white rectangles  1-7/8" x 8-1/2"

B Cut any blue star finishing to about 5" wide. Use the template in the PDF

Add a seam allowance for applique.

Becky says

I cut my strips 9" and cut the top and bottom strips 2-1/4" so I could 

trim it to 8-1/2" after appliqueing the star. 

NEW LINK (as of 9/1/2011)
https://acrobat.com/#d=BjM5ACEM1NrLfvO6khRHfA
There's something wrong here with the link which I am trying to work out. Try this link.
http://www.barbarabrackman.com/30PetersonsFlag.pdf

And someone suggested-- -if the link takes you to the wrong page just type the link above into your web browser.

Peterson's Magazine, like Godey's Lady's Book, was a women's periodical with fashion, fiction, household advice, craft patterns and decorating tips. Things haven't changed much in the women's magazine business.

Each issue had a few color plates,

 which was where the Stars & Stripes pattern was found.

Peterson's began publishing in 1849, using "Clubs" to expand their subscription list.

An 1870 cover highlights the subscription clubs.

Mary Kemper Vermilion, living in Iowa with family while her husband fought for the Union, wrote him of all the neighborhood happenings.

December 1, 1863

Mrs. Paschal...is making a club for Peterson's Magazine and she came to get me to subscribe. I didn't do it. I told her I didn't care much for ladies magazines while the war lasts, and then there are other that I would much rather have than Peterson's....

Mary was a strong Union supporter, who apparently found wartime entertainment frivolous. Read her letters and those of her husband's in Love amid the Turmoil: The Civil War Letters of William and Mary Vermilion, Donald C. Elder III (editor) The University of Iowa Press, 2003. See more information by clicking here:

http://www.uiowapress.org/books/2003-spring/eldlovami.htm 

   

Find out more about Mary Rockhold Teter and her Stars and Stripes quilt at the Smithsonian Institution by clicking here:

http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object.cfm?key=35&gkey=169&objkey=7220