The Eccentric Star block has a simpler version that is better known than the one presented here. This particular version first appeared in Jonathan Holstein’s book “The Pieced Quilt: an American Design Tradition”. According to Celia Eddy, this particular block shows “folk art ingenuity” as it doesn’t appear in any other sources of the eccentric […]
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Ohio Star
The Ohio Star block has been in use since the early 1800s. They are found in a multitude of adaptations: Diamond in the center square Colour combinations create different illusions Solid stars on a coloured background It was brought back to life in the 1930s when it became another favourite for use with odd pieces […]
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Cathedral Window
Cathedral Window was inspired by the historic church stain glass windows. The quilt block became popular in the United States in the 1930s. Every block is made using a folded patchwork technique similar to origami. A fabric square or circle is folded and stitched to reveal a contrasting fabric on the other side. There are […]
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Oak leaf and cherries
According to Celia Eddy, oak leaf and cherries is a popular appliqué motif. The popularity makes it difficult to date the first publication or origins. It features in Dolores Hinson’s A Quilter’s Companion printed in 1973. Templates for this appliqué can really be drafted from the picture. Reuse the leaf and the small circles so […]
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Pineapple Block
The pineapple block was first published by the Ladies’ Art Company in 1898. It is a variation on the log cabin. Pineapples are a symbol of warmth and hospitality. Spanish villagers would place the fruit at the village entrance to welcome visitors. The block is created by piecing strips of fabric on the diagonal, rather […]
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Log Cabin
The log cabin design represents the log homes made in the prairie. It first appeared towards the end of the 19th century. The centre block, traditionally red or orange, represents the hearth and the chimney. The light strips are the corner of the room lit up by the fire. The dark strips represent the corner […]
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Baby Block
The baby block originates from star designs where the diamond was in use since the beginning of the 19th century. Baby blocks use the diamond shape to create an illusion of 3d. The colour placement is what creates the impression of depth. It reflects a stack of blocks like that which children build from blocks, […]
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Le Moyne Star
The Le Moyne star is named for the Le Moyne brothers from France. The family settled in Canada in the 17th century. Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville established the Louisiana Colony in 1689. His brother Jean-Baptiste de Bienville served several terms as Louisiana governor. In North America, the block underwent a name change due to regular […]
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Little Schoolhouse
The Little Schoolhouse belongs to a group of patchwork blocks that represent every day life and items closer to reality for those quilters in the late 19th century. From about 1870 it is also found in the context of the education campaign to get more children educated as led by the American federal government at […]
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Chimney Sweep
In the olden days, houses were built around chimneys to keep it warm. The chimney was in the middle of the house and the rooms were built around it. Each room had a burning fireplace in the corner. Chimney sweepers would go down these chimneys to scrape the soot deposits that could cause house fires. […]
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