Embroidered Pillows:
Some Related to Military Branches
by Patricia L. Cummings
photos by James Cummings
During the twentieth century, various pillows were designed, some of which feature dogs posing as soldiers and sailors. I have collected a few of these. The ones that were in an unfinished state, I finished embroidering. This is a short photo essay in which those images are shown.
Navy dog, embroidered. The sailor suit is "tinted," in the manner so popular in the early twentieth century. The image appears on a pillow top.
"Ship Ahoy" Scottie dog pillow top also features commercially-done tinting. I love this dog's heart-shaped nose!
This pillow may have been one of a series of similar designs.
This pillow cover of an Army bugle boy still has writing on one side that identifies it as a Vogart design.
Man or Beast?
Sailor "man" (or dog?) with suitcase and flowers, and a strange expression with skewered lips.
Keep the Home Fires Burning
Finally, I'd like to show you the front of a pillow cover. This shows the "service" flag that was hung outside to show that a family had someone serving in the military. The words, "Keep the Home Fires Burning," are actually from a popular song by the same name, first copyrighted in 1915, according to the songbook, "Rise Up Singing."
The single star flag demonstrated that the family had one son or daughter serving overseas.
The flag was designed by Captain Robert L. Queissner, 5th Ohio Infantry, to honor his sons who fought in World War I. The flag tradition carried over to World War II, and I have collected an authentic example. To read more about Blue Star and Gold Star flags, please visit Wikipedia.
Needle Therapy
As always, women kept their needles plied in times of distress, creating useful items and adding some whimsey to their designs.
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Sorry, no patterns available.
©Copyright 2007. Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH. For more information, write to: pat@quiltersmuse.com