Marie Webster‘s Sunbonnet Lassies quilt, published in the August 1912 Ladies' Home Journal reflects consumer interest in products geared toward children. Webster’s quilt inspired similar designs, some of which are perilously close to being direct copies. The Sunbonnet Sue quilt pictured here is undoubtedly derivative of Webster’s design.

According to historian Steven Mintz, in the early years of the 20th century a youth culture began to develop. Family size had declined considerably since the pre-industrial days and middle-class families had more resources to expend on their children. Developments in medicine and sport as a means to good health encouraged healthy activities for all ages. A genre of children’s literature hit the market as well. Camp Fire Girls and the Boy Scouts of America both came into existence around 1910 offering training and character-building experiences to youths.