Quilt Identification – A Reader Queries
This morning’s e-mail brought a photo of a quilt. The writer, Scott McKee of Santa Ana, CA, says that the quilt is hand-pieced and asks what “pattern” it is.
A finished quilt with various quilt pattern designs, some partial blocks. The overall design is “Sampler Quilt.”
I can tell you a few things about this quilt, but not having seen it, in person, will not vouch for total accuracy.
1) There is a relatively-wide outer border with a binding of a matching fabric print. Whether this is a “separate binding” or just the back turned forward to the front and tacked down, I do not know, and cannot tell for certain, from a photo. Separate bindings are more desirable, especially in a bed quilt, as they wear better, and can be replaced, if need be. The writer did not share the overall size of this quilt.
2) The second border in looks like “Log Cabin” blocks, set on point. Why do I say that? They have a square center and strips, half light and half dark, on either side.
3) That is followed by a thin print strip, and then an additional pieced border of “Flying Geese,” in light and dark hues, around the perimeter of the quilt.
4) Then, there is another print fabric strip.
5) The interior area features various quilt blocks, and portions of quilt blocks within rectangles or squares, delineated by sashing strips.
6) Right off the bat, I recognized the (round) Mariner’s Compass (with a green center). This block is repeated in other rectangle settings in the quilt.
There are star blocks and others, all geometric.
This appears to be a 20th century quilt, due to its color palette that includes lighter blue and pink colors.
The other quilt blocks probably have names (sometimes more than one). I do not have the time to look up each one of them, but I do suggest Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Patterns which shows more than 4,000 block configurations and lists of their names. This is the standard reference book used by most appraisers and quilt historians and has become a classic book already.
There are thousands of published names for quilt blocks.
I am happy to share whatever information that has readily come to mind about this quilt. A certified appraiser could verify my statements and take the time to look up the pattern name of each and every block. The sashings may be appliquéd down. Again, this is not something I can determine from a photo, alone.
Patricia Cummings, quilt historian
Quilter’s Muse Publications
