Quilt Block Names
The interesting names given to quilt block patterns are rooted deep in the history of the United States. It is easy to see the influences upon quilters of the past by studying the names that they have given to their quilt patterns. The strong biblical influence is apparent from the large number of blocks with religious names such as Jacob's Ladder or Job's Trouble. The hardship of the pioneer can be seen from blocks with names such as the Rocky Road to California. The aspects of everyday life led to blocks with names like Churn Dash and Log Cabin. Many quilt patterns have several different names. A pattern known by one name in New England may have had a different, more significant name to the quilter in the Midwest. Sometimes old names were changed for commercial purposes. Each generation of quilters adds its own variations to an old art form.
From Trades and Occupations
Anvil, Saw-Tooth, The Ship's Wheel, Carpenter's Wheel, Monkey Wrench, Water Mill, Chips and Whetstones, The Dusty Miller
Outdoor Life and Nature
Garden Maze, Autumn Leaf, Spider Web, Rolling Stones, Ocean Wave, Flying Geese
Square Dancing
Eight Hands Around, Swing in the Center
Political Influence
Clay's Choice, Whig Rose, Fifty-Four-Forty or Fight
Biblical Names
Job's Trouble, Job's Tears, Joseph's Coat, Jacob's Ladder, Wonder of the World, World Without End
Humility Block
The humility block was block that was purposely pieced incorrectly and usually placed in the lower right hand section of the quilt. The belief behind the Humility block was that only God was perfect, therefore mortals man/woman should not produce a perfect quilt.
Drunkards Path
This quilt block became popular in the later part of the 19th century. As the Temperance movement grew, many women expressed their affiliation to this group in their quilts. Many of the quilts of this period were pieced using blue and white fabrics, the colors representing the Temperance movement.
Cheater Cloth
Cloth with quilt block pattern printed on it, as opposed to a quilt pattern created by different pieces of cloth cut out and sewn together, is known as Cheater Cloth. Cheater cloth became available in the 1850's. The first cheater cloth patterns where imitation chintz patches. In the early 1900's, other patterns such as Log Cabin and Charm Quilts became available on cheater cloth. In the 1930's, Sears offered cheater cloth in patterns such as Dresden Plate. Double Wedding Ring, and Grandmother's Flower Garden. Cheater cloth is still being produced today and a bolt or two can be found in just about every quilt store.
Log Cabin
The Log Cabin quilt became popular in the United States by the mid-nineteenth century. The Log Cabin pattern consist of strips of fabric (logs) sewn around a square fabric center. The center fabric square was traditional red to signify the fire on the hearth of the cabin. By careful placement of light and dark fabrics, different patterns were formed. These other patterns are known by the names of Court House Steps, Straight Furrow, and Barn Raising. Log Cabin quilts were frequently tied since it was to hard to quilt through so many seams.
Trapunto
Trapunto is a whole cloth quilting technique which produces a raised surface on the quilt. Trapunto patterns consist of vines, leaves, grapes, cherries and so on. The vines and straight line patterns are threaded with a soft yarn or cording. The rounder shapes are stuffed with small amounts of batting inserted from a small slit made in the backing fabric. After the shapes are stuffed, the slit is whipped stitched closed. A second backing fabric is then added to the quilt and normal quilting is done all around the previously stuffed shapes. Another style of Trapunto uses a loosely woven fabric for the quilt backing. Then, instead of making slits in the backing to stuff shapes, a needle is used to carefully push the backing thread apart to form an opening for the stuffing. The threads are then carefully pushed back into place. This eliminates the need for a second backing fabric. Trapunto originated in Italy in the early 16th century. It appeared in the United States in the the late 1700's and remained popular until the Civil War.
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