The early 20th century has become known for its kits, patterns, and standardized color schemes, but that representation is only one side of the story. In 1933, Sears, Roebuck, and Co. sponsored the Sears National Quilt Contest in connection with Chicago’s Century of Progress Exposition. The company offered $7500 in prizes attracting the greatest outpouring of quilts for a contest ever with 24,000 entries. Traditional pieced and applique quilts won the top prizes, but Ida Stow’s A Century of Progress shows the level of ingenuity, creativity, and self-expression some makers put into their quilts.