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Inspired by History – Traditional Blocks & Secondary Designs

Last week’s blog post covered block history and trivia of some of my favorite quilt blocks. If you missed that post, find it here. This week, I wanted to talk some more about traditional blocks, the history behind them and how I’ve used them in some of my quilt patterns. This also includes a chat about secondary design, when blocks are joined into a quilt top and another design emerges. So let’s get going on this week’s topic!

Secondary Design

First an explanation of secondary design. When you look at a quilt and you not only see the block designs but you see another design emerge as you step back, that’s secondary design. Sometimes it’s intentional… and sometimes you just get lucky and two blocks you decide to place next to each other make another design. I like to design these types of quilts because it adds another level of interest. Click here for a post I did last year on the different ways I have achieved secondary design in my quilts. It can be done in one block quilts, two or more block quilts, adding a sashing or even with color in your background!

Here’s another example that is not in the post I linked above. My pattern Paper Chain has this interesting block:

It’s a pretty simple block base on a 9-patch grid. Now when you see it with other blocks in the quilt you start to see another pattern emerge where the corners of 4 blocks meet (circled area):

Now a picture of the full quilt gives you another chance to see more secondary designs:

In the photo on the left, the arrow is pointing to a octagon shape that emerges. The arrow on the right points to squares created by the tan print centers of the blocks creating a checkerboard background. So next time you stand back and look at a quilt, try to see how many different designs emerge.

Irish Chain

This is a really fun block to use in secondary design. But first, a little history. According to quilt historian Barbara Brackman, the earliest know date for this pattern in American quilting dates to 1814. She also believes this pattern could have been inspired by a weaving design. However, this pattern has also been found in Ireland by a different name. It was thought to be called “Mosaic” and “American Chain” there.  Perhaps Irish settlers brought this pattern with them as they settled in America and it was named “Irish Chain” because of that. As with other blocks used in the 19th century, women would often called it by other names like Double Nine-Patch, Single Irish Chain and The Simple Cross. 

This pattern is popular because when it is combined with a plain block in an alternating style, there is a blank area framed by the “crisscross” design of the chain blocks where a quilter or appliquér can feature their work. Or the “crisscross” pattern of the chain blocks can frame a different block when the alternating method is used. The second method is the one I use the most. Here is the Irish Chain variation I use often in my designs:

As you can see, I use it with the lighter fabric creating the “crisscross” design or with darker fabric in that spot.

So here’s a few of my patterns where I use the Irish Chain block.

On the left, I used the Irish Chain block on point alternating with a Churn Dash block. This creates a horizontal and vertical “crisscross” design. On the right, I used the Irish Chain block in straight piecing. I also made it scrappy except for the brown pieces. This creates a diagonal crisscrossing through the quilt top. Both settings create a secondary design that brings movement to the quilt.

Sawtooth Block

You’ve heard of a Sawtooth Star block, but what about a Sawtooth block? Here it is:

This block was also known by other names such as Lend & Borrow and Rocky Glen. With a little tweaking, it becomes a variation of part of a Bear’s Paw block. The sawtooth borders are just pointing in the opposite direction than in the Sawtooth block, with a solid square in the corner. 

The sawtooth name comes from the look of the teeth of a saw when the half-square triangle (HST) squares are pieced into a row. The first appearance of anything “sawtooth” came in borders in the early 19th century. They were a popular border for the medallion style quilts of that time. The most well known style block is the Bear’s Paw block:

How have I used it in my quilts? In my quilt pattern, Fan Dance, I made Sawtooth blocks and arranged them in a “spinning” design to add some movement to the quilt top.

On the table runner on the left, the spinning sawtooth blocks look like pinwheels. The wall hanging/table topper on the right has a central pinwheel design created by the sawtooth blocks with additional blocks spinning off of the center pinwheel, which makes the secondary design. That secondary design creates some fun movement.

Well, that’s it for this week! I hope you enjoyed this bit of block history and secondary design. Leave a comment below or ask a question and you will be entered into a drawing for my Fan Dance pattern (pictured above).

The drawing will be on Monday, May 30th. Good luck! **We have a winner! Congrats, Leona!**

Happy Quilting,
Deanne

Inspired by History – Some Quilt Block Trivia

If you have been a fan of my quilt patterns over the years, it’s no secret that I am inspired by antique quilts and many traditional quilt blocks. I thought it would be fun this week to talk about some of these blocks and share some facts and trivia about them. For some of these blocks, the origins are known and recorded, but for some it can only be guessed at through study of quilting in American history. Here’s some information I have gathered on some of my favorite blocks.

The Snowball Block

This simple block doesn’t always get recognized as a traditional or historic block. But it is! It actually has its origins in Amish quilting. Until I did a little research, I had no idea. It is a traditional block of theirs that can be found in many quilts, both Amish and not, from the 19th century. The design of this block creates an optical illusion because they look like circles when you step back to view the quilt. These blocks are a fun way to add movement to a quilt. Here’s one of my patterns, Carnival Time, with snowball blocks:

From a distance the blocks do look like circles but they’re actually octagons! Here’s a close up of the block:

It’s a very simple block to learn. These snowball blocks in my quilt were made with 3 1/2″ squares (color print) and tan print 1 1/2″ squares stitched on the diagonal to the 4 corners using the stitch & flip method to create the corners.

Here’s a variation of a snowball block in another of my patterns, Sweet Harmony:

I made 16-patch units and then turned them into snowball blocks, to add my “scrappy” flair.

The Churn Dash Block

Looking at my patterns, you will see that this is one of my favorite traditional quilt blocks. It’s a block that has been around for over 150 years. In the nineteenth century, women would make blocks and would often name them after everyday items they used daily. Even if it already had a name! Churn dash is one of them. The perimeter of the block resembled a churn and the center a “dash” (the stick that was used) to these women.

This block is a fun one to play with because it looks good alone or combined with other elements. Here’s a few of my patterns that use the block.

My pattern on the left, Barn Dance, uses the churn dash block as a stand alone block. In Bountiful, on the right, I added a star to the center of the churn dash block for a bit of fun.

The block is simple to make. It’s technically a modified nine-patch block. If you look closely at a traditional churn dash, it is a 9-grid block usually with all nine units measuring the same.

It even looks cool on point in a quilt!

Country Dance Lap Quilt

The Log Cabin Block

I think this block is my all time favorite traditional block. If you scroll through my pattern offerings, you will see that I return to it again and again. I think it’s because it is so versatile and it makes use of my vast stash of fabric strips. There are many variations of the block too, which keeps things interesting.

These blocks are thought to be very American, representing the pioneers as they moved west and built homes of logs. However, this pattern has been found in earlier quilts and on other items as early as the mid 18th century. The traditional Log Cabin has a center square with “logs” added on alternating sides. Two sides of the block is light fabrics while the opposite sides are built with darker fabrics. Here’s a traditional log cabin:

The center square was often a red fabric to represent the hearth of the home.

One of my favorite variations of the Log Cabin block is the Courthouse Steps variation.

It’s named that because the “logs” look like steps up to a door. Here are a few other variations that I have used in quilts:

These blocks also look cool on point!

Antique Quilt Inspiration

Want some more inspiration? Consider paging through antique quilt books from museums and state historical societies. Here’s one of my favorite books:

I love paging through these books to find new (to me) traditional blocks to inspire some new pattern designs. Sometimes I find a block and re-work it so it’s easier to piece. So instead of “y” or curved seams, I figure out a way to make it with straight seams and/or appliqué!

Here’s an example of an antique block called the Album Cross that I re-worked with simpler piecing.

On the left is the traditional Album Cross, which is pieced with a lot of “y” seams. The block on the right is my re-worked version. It is pieced in 4 parts using the stitch & flip technique to create literally the same design. Here’s one of the 4 units (below) that make up the block above. I start with a tan square, then add the purple stitch & flip corners and then, finally, the black corner.

I used these blocks to make my table runner pattern, Scrap Basket Duo.

So I’ll keep hunting for old blocks that I can put my “easy to piece” twist on. I hope you enjoyed this brief historical tour. See you next week!

Leave a comment or ask questions below and be entered into a drawing for my Scrap Basket Duo quilt pattern. The drawing will be on Monday, May 23rd. ** We have a winner! Congrats, Kathy!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Design and Quilt Pattern Inspiration

Last week, I talked about different ways to lay out blocks, whether you are making a large quilt or a smaller quilt, like a wall hanging. That is one of the design elements that goes into making a quilt. This week I want to go back even further and show you things that inspire my ideas and help me to design blocks and quilts. These inspirations can be out in the world or they can come from something as simple as an antique quilt. Share your thoughts and comments below and be entered into a drawing for my book, Blooming Patchwork. Let’s get started with the fun!

Design Inspiration from Out in the World

Inspiration is everywhere. At least it is for me. From a pattern on a building to an iron gate to windows. Even a lampshade! Here’s three photos I took that I return often to to get some inspiration.

That window on the right? That inspired the border for this pattern below that was in Primitive Quilts & Projects in the spring of 2014:

The iron gate in the photos above can possibly inspire an appliqué motif. You’d be surprised where inspiration comes from. That semi-circle window photo taken in 2012 at the school where I took my son for his freshman year led to the border on this project above.

Here’s another inspiration:

I took a photo of a pattern on a lampshade and it led me to thinking about making chevrons in a quilt pattern. So, along came Celebrations!

Finally, the photo below on the left inspired the idea for the border on my Sister’s Reunion quilt (right), with a little variation. This was a pattern I found on a tile floor!

Design Inspiration from Antique Quilts

I often look through books of 18th and 19th century quilts to get some design inspiration. I like to take traditional blocks and elements from these quilts and work them into a design for today. Here’s a quilt I found in a book on antique quilts (left) and my quilt, Homestead Trail, on the right.

I changed up the look of this traditional block by replacing the solid alternating block with a sashing and nine-patch corner stones. This created interesting movement that continues into the border of the quilt.

My next inspiration came from album or autograph quilts and quilt blocks I found in a lot of antique books. The traditional name for this block is the Album Cross block.

The block above (right) is from an album quilt made in the 1840’s in New York state. Quilts made from these blocks were usually presented to someone who was leaving a community. Friends and family of the person receiving the quilt would write or embroider a message in the block. The signer would sign their name with the date and sometimes add a message for the quilt’s new owner. This style of block is only one of the many types of blocks used in album or “friendship” quilts. These quilts were very popular in the 19th century when many people were leaving family and friends to move west.

But of course for me, I wanted to find a way to make this block easier… translation, with NO “Y” or set in seams. I hate doing those so I do not like to design quilt patterns with those types of seams. Here is the block I came up with:

To make the block above, I created this unit below. And when I made four and stitched them together, I got the look of the vintage Album Cross without the stress!

Here’s the blocks I made (left) and then the resulting two projects in the pattern, Scrap Basket Duo.

Finally, for this week’s post, another traditional block that inspired me was the spool block. I saw this quilt in a book and thought I’d love to adapt that into a quilt pattern:

The spool block has many versions that have been around since the 19th century. Quilt blocks were often designed and named for ordinary household items. I image the women who designed and named this block based it on the wooden spools that held their thread. 

Again, I re-designed the spool block so there was no “Y” or set in seams. Here’s my pattern Bloomin’ Spools and a close up of the block I created.

If you look closely at the blocks I made, you can see the seams showing I made these blocks in a nine-patch fashion.

So that’s it for this week. Share your thoughts and comments below. I’d like to know if I inspired you with these inspirations of mine or I’d like to hear some of yours. I will drawer a name from commenters and you will win a copy of my book, Blooming Patchwork!

The drawing will be on Monday, January 24th. Good luck! ***We have a winner! Congrats, Cynthia Given!***

Happy Quilting,
Deanne