South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-09-14
COVERLET MADE IN
1871 IS ON DISPLAY
WOmen'S Building at Interstate
Fair Filled With Things
of Interest.

Up in the Woman's building at the
Interstate fair one Of the biggest at
fractions is a pair of hand-woven
coverlets. They are the property Of
Mrs. Fanny SandersOn of MiShaWaka,
and are family heirlooms. one Of
them is 14O years old, and was made
by a t-grandmOther, VINO
wOve IL and spun the wool for the
weaving. 1t IS a double weave IN deep
blue and white with reverse COlOrs on
each side, and the Greek cross is the
central idea for the design. It's COM
paniou. with it's cotton threads over
shot with wool and its shades OF soft
brick-red and blue, is in the stained
glass window pattern.
Each Of these. cOverlets has a story
10 tell, but neither will tell the secret
Of the unfading dyes that have held
ever 10 their delicate pastel cOlOrs for
nearly 200 years. For the secret pro-
cess of making these dyes has been
lost, and no one today is able to re-
produce them.
And who is there now to read the
story the weaving tells2 For every
pattern means a story taken from the
life of the person who designed it.
Has Many Admirers.
In the crowds that thrOng around
the exhibit many an admirer Of the
beautiful bed covers voices regrets for
the passing Of such real art work.
I'VE can't make anything like that
now they say and move on, with
wistful glances back TO the patchwork
The patchwork patterns tell their
stories, too. More modern, yes but
still with pathos and perfection in
their intricate designs and tiny even
stitches. The Star and Rainbow"
quilt may easily hold the center Of the
IA = L 81
maker. Mrs. Elizabeth Kaser, $50 Lin
coin highway, is not by to tell how
IL was made; how the beautiful leaf
like quilting pattern was first traced
on wood and cut out by her son so
that she might use the block in pen
cilling the design on the cloth before
her needle fixed it in with painstaking
stitches.
There is other work from age
touched fingers that have never re-
leased their skill, and the patchwork
quilts should teach a valuable lesson
10 the get-dOne-quick workers of this
y-burly age. Ii is indeed good to
know at any rate that the woven
cOverlets and their patchwork COM
paniOns are never lacking in constant
admiration.
A crocheted cOverlet and dresser
scarf that hang nearby are also claim
ing much attention. Their maker and
pattern designer MIS-. LOUIS j johnston,
COS $. Walnut ST., is besieged with
questions regarding it. How long did
it take to make it? About three
months OF steady work Where did
she get the pattern? Out Of her head.
What does she call it2 She doesn't
know what to call it.
Comment on Exhibits
Ind the QuestiOners pass on to in
spect and comment on all the other
beautiful exhibits that fill the upper
story OF the Woman's building.
There would be a WearisOme sur
felt OF it all. if there weren't an oc-
casiOnal dramatic break in the con-
tinued chorus Of delighted comment:
especially like the one that turned
everybody out of doors to learn the
reason for a high-pitched scream and
n lOng-drawn wall that cut the atmO-
sphere.
Everybody rushed out to find a
crowd gathered around the park
pump. That didn't give a clue to any
thing for the park pump-in spite
OF its nearby competitor. the ice cream
and soft drink booth-haG been
drawing a crowd for a cOnsidera bic
spell. Indeed that pump had been
one Of the chief attractions But it
couldn't stand the pressure, and II pro-
duced the screech. 1t gave one long