By the turn of the century, life was beginning to change in many ways. The development of the automobile and airplane began to change the way people lived and saw their world. The modern world was already coming into being.
World War I
The year 1914 saw the advent of the first fully modern war. Thousands of French, British, and German troops and their allies were slaughtered, often in a matter of minutes, by rapid-fire machine guns and artillery. The British suffered 58,000 casualties (a third of them killed), on the first day of the battle of the Somme (1 July 1916), making it the worse day in the history of the British Army. Total losses for the campaign were 420,000 casualties. The French lost nearly 200,000 and it is estimated that German casualties were in the region of 500,000. Allied forces had "gained" 12km at most.
However, even though the world was changing and warfare was raging in Europe, American quilters were still making warm and lovely quilts for their family, friends, churches and social groups. During this period, embroidered "red work" become popular, with floral and animal motifs, nursery rhyme characters, etc.
America entered the First World War late, and then only reluctantly (most saw it correctly as a European monarch's war over colonial ventures, which was only of interest to the war profiteers). However, Wilson, who had campaigned in a tight re-election on the slogan "He kept us out of war!" quickly changed his tune after re-election. He was determined that America should become a leading world power, and that we would export democracy and our system around the world. He saw the war as a way to gain power and leverage for the country.
Despite the initial lack of popular support, once we actually joined the war (1917), there was again a rise in patriotic themed quilts (as usual). However, this time more women served, and were now actually permitted to join the armed services as administrative staff, nurses, and many other invaluable support roles.
The Fall of 1918 saw the great "Spanish Influenza" pandemic, in which more Americans died (about 675,000) than in the war, or even the Civil War, previously the greatest killer in our history. This flu spread world-wide, and killed hundreds of thousands abroad as well.
When the war and the flu ended, life quickly settled down to normal, and the "Roaring 20s" got into full swing. But while "flappers" were appearing among the smart set, many women were getting back to quilting.
The Roaring Twenties
In 1919, a national prohibition on the use of alcohol was enacted as an amendment to the Constitution. Just as in modern times with the "Drug War," it spurred the growth of crime and criminal gangs such as the Mafia. Quilters carried on throughout, among them members of the Temperance Union which had driven the amendment.
The 1920s saw an interest in blocks that were colored with crayons and heat set. About 1925, multi-stranded embroidery thread was introduced, and along with satin and sateen cloth, soon became popular, as did a form of appliqué outlined with black thread (using a buttonhole stitch).
Whole-cloth quilts also regained lost ground, and remained popular until the 1950s.
The years 1927-1929 saw a renewal of interest in printed patterns, which wre carried in newspapers, and books, and even found in company brochures!
However, the Great Depression (1929-1939) brought a renewal of the use of scraps for quilts, for obvious reasons. Sacks for feed, sugar, flour, and other commodities were often used, especially those with prints. Pastels were popular in this period. Appliqué kits were also popular, as were scalloped borders.
This period also saw the rise of the Sunbonnet Sue pattern. Variations on this pattern have remained popular to the present. (Apparently some people have seen enough of them. A group quilt in the San Diego Quilt Show circa 1992 was called; "The Demise of Sunbonnet Sue", which depicted poor Sue being done away with in a number of creative ways. It was humorous in a macabre fashion.)
Scrap versions of Grandmother's Flower Garden were also being made.
The Airplane Block
The Airplane block also appeared about this time. It is said to have been inspired by the mania in aviation generated by Charles A. Lindberg's daring solo flight to Paris across the Atlantic in 1927 in the "Spirit of St. Louis."
Among the earliest dates found for airplane blocks was one from 1927, although the oldest "true" airplane quilt pattern, named "the Lone Eagle Quilt," was published in January 1929 in Successful Farming.
It is said that through the years, Lindbergh's flight inspired more airplane quilt block patterns than any other event, although other aviators, including the famed Amelia Earhart, certainly added to the interest. Certainly, the "Lone Eagle" variation is named for Lindberg.
The majority of airplane quilts documented are small bed quilts, approximately twin size. Many early quilters made their airplane quilts two colored, with white/unbleached muslin or light blue for the background and solid fabric in red, yellow, or blue for the airplanes.
A small percentage of the airplane quilts are multicolored scrap quilts. With few exceptions, the airplane quilts documented had blocks set square rather than on point, although the airplane itself is sometimes set diagonally in the block.
World War II
WW II came for America in 1942, and again entered it late - in fact, only after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Europe and much of the rest of the world had been at war since 1939.
The war changed many things. One of these was the traditional role of women in society. As a result of the shortage of labor caused by the draft, women were called on in increasing numbers to "do their bit" by working in the wartime industries. "Rosie the Riveter" became the role model for American women. Others led scrap and paper drives, or worked in more direct support roles in nursing, administrative, and other fields, including the famous WASP - Women Airforce Service Pilots.
While these were noble and laudable roles and tasks - and very necessary - they did take women out of the home, which led to a decline in quilting in many areas. Women just weren't there, and when they were home, they were often too tired to engage in traditional pursuits.
Post War Era
However, even after the war, quilting continued to decline in many areas. Some of the women who had worked in defense industries during the war continued in the work force. Since some had become a permanent feature in the workplace, they therefore had less time at home for more traditional work.
Although the two parent family was still the prevalent model, the changes wrought by the war had again changed society both here and abroad. Among other things, the expansion following the war, and the new technologies and trading partners led to a proliferation of affordable goods, which included bed coverings.
