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Patterns from Patty Shannon

The years of the Great Depression were some of the darkest times in our nation's history, but that uncertain era also gave rise to a great many wonderful things, including the 1930's revival of quilting. Most quilts of this time were created out of necessity. Some were also wonderful examples of beautiful craftsmanship and design.

During the Depression, a quilt column regularly appeared in the Kentucky Farmers Home Journal, a popular magazine of the time. Editor Patty Shannon featured quilt patterns sent in by many of her readers. It was well known that winning an honorable mention for your quilt at the Kentucky State Fair almost guaranteed that a quilt would appear in the magazine. What wasn't common knowledge was that Patty Shannon did not really exist! Her name was fictitious, but the popularity of her quilting columns was very real.

Below is a list of the pattern sheets mimeographed and sold through Kentucky Farmers Home Journal from 1938 to 1945. For more information about Patty Shannon, see the October 2004 issue of QNM.