Martha Washington

As I was sorting out some files in the sewing room I came across the name for another one of my new antique blocks.  At this rate I will have them christened in no time at all.

Martha Washington

For those who don't know, Martha Washington was the first First Lady as she was married to George Washington.  She was know for her quiltmaking; guests to Mount Vernon would find their bed covered with a dozen quilts, each one needing to be admired and folded before there was room to sleep in the bed.

Mount Vernon, Va. Flower Garden postcard by the Mount Vernon Association, 1926

On the Hunt for a Name

Yesterday was exciting, a parcel came in the mail. 

Hooray! A new lot of blocks to play with!  They are big blocks, most are 15 inches.  They are perhaps not quite as old as I expected but there are some old fabrics and a mix of hand pieced and machined pieced.  As usual when buying online, the photos were closely examined.  The following was one block that said, Pick Me!

Have you seen this one before? I haven't.

While I was waiting for these blocks to arrive I received another package.  It's a CD-Rom of the Kansas City Star quilts published from 1928 to 1958.  There are over a thousand files, each one a copy of a quilt pattern published in the newspaper.  I do prefer original books but ...  a thousand patterns! How could I resist. 

Not to sure on how to get through so much information I decided to start, logically with the A's. Airplane, Album, Amethyst, Anna's Pride, Arkansas Centennial/Crossroads/Star, Arrow Head .....


Arrow Head.

(Clip and Save.) The contributor of this quilt pattern, Mrs. Mattie Cron, rural route No. 3, Mulhall, Ok., is a quilt fan who likes to share her favorite designs with other enthusiasts. She just has finished a quilt made by this pattern in rose and white.  The block is twelve inches square. - 29 Jan 1936


That wasn't too much of a hunt, my new block is an Arrow Head.  It also demonstrates something that I did not know.  I had assumed that the Kansas City Star quilt patterns were designed by professionals like Ruby McKim.  But the vast majority are blocks contributed by women to the newspaper in the hope of getting published.  Thank you Mrs. Mattie Cron - although that right angled white piece is going to take some skilled needlework to fit.

Duck, Duck, Goose Tracks

Again this week, a block with several names.

Goose Tracks

Goose Tracks seems like a logical name for this one but it isn't the only name.  Woman's World calls it Signal; imagine a lighthouse or beacon sending out a signal light.


The Kansas City Star went for Cross and Crown.

This quaint old pattern with its "firm-in-the-faith" title is really a variation of the lily blocks which have flowers resembling these "crowns" combined with applique stems, leaves, with perhaps a pieced basket corner as was shown at another time. "Goose tracks" is also quite similar in pattern but of course less dignified in name!  This is one of the more simple quilts to piece, the finished effect varying considerably in relation to the way it is set together.  With red lattice strips joining white squares at the corner the pattern stands out entirely different than when white strips or large squares are used, or again the background may be light with darker design.  Allow seams extra; about 3/16 inch is right for this on all sides.

Just remember that this picture and comments are the complete instructions to sew the entire quilt; no more information was supplied.

This Goose Tracks hand sewn block was made a little differently.  It isn't pieced, it's reverse applique. 

This is the back of the block, which started as a nine patch.

Three gingham pieces were appliqued on the corner patch to make the goose track. Gingham wasn't possibly not the best choice in this situation.

Not much contrast but another block of the same pattern.  This sampler quilt was made in 1939 and the maker wrote the name of each block on the quilt.  And her name for this one?

Duck's Foot in the Wind.  I wish I knew the back story for this one.

A Friendship Quilt Block

... or, a Friendship block quilt.

These two blocks sit side by side in this quilt by the Banner (Oklahoma) Progressive Club, 1938.  The block is called Friendship Quilt BB2895 from Kansas City Star.

This quilt may have white strips for the names of friends to be embroidered.  The strips may be in solid color.  This was contributed by Mrs. Delia Davidson. Vilas, Colorado. Thank you.



The Kansas City Star printed more than one pattern named Friendship Quilt.  It must have been a useful generic label, my index for KCS includes nine different Friendship Quilt blocks.

On the quilting pile