New dye formulations sometimes meant that the colors on quilt fabrics did not last as intended. Many synthetic greens from the turn of the 20th century were unreliable, fading to tan through washing or exposure to light. While the red in this Alphabet quilt has stayed true, the green has lost much of its original color.

This quilt top was based on patterns in the Ladies Art Company catalog. A full page of letter block designs plus four new appliqué and pieced blocks, including the Eight-Pointed Star used in the four corners, appeared together in the company’s mail order catalog of 1906. The cost was 25 cents per block, with lower prices charged for multiple block orders.