quiltersmuse.com Blog

Someone from the Cleveland, Ohio area wrote a brief note to me on October 3, 2009 to ask if the block shown here might have been slave-made, or made by an African-American. Let me make some general comments about this quilt block.

This old quilt block, from an unidentified maker, has an unusual pattern. This was not found in either Brackman’s or Khin’s standard reference books on appliqué designs.

Additional references that are helpful in identifying published quilt block names are listed in our website file about Pattern Identification.

This block looks like a good example of a 19th century quilt with brown fabrics that have disintegrated due to the iron content of the dye. Iron and cloth do not go well together, but it was not a lesson easily or quickly learned during that century.

The largest motifs appear to be in the shape of Oak leaves. The center circle in yellow and the blue “cross” within the circle could be symbolic, but do not have to be. Not all designs carry symbolism, and if we do not know the quilter’s intent, then it is dangerous to read too much into an interpretation. My next step is to investigate similar symbols in several books that I own to see if the center is known to carry any particular symbolism.

As you can see, three diamond shapes were added, between the “leaves.” These may have represented flower petals as if often the case of abstract-looking designs of this kind that are pieced and then appliquéd.

From a photo, it is difficult to tell, but this block seems to have a lot of quilting on it. If that is the case, one would think of a “lady of leisure” as having made this, as stitches do not add to a quilt’s warmth and only serve as surface decoration (and to hold the quilt together).

It is dangerous to take guesses as to whether or not a quilt was made by a slave or an African-American based solely on visual clues. Scholars have been embarrassed, in the past, by their quick leaps to judgment. Anyone could have made this quilt block!

So many times, quilt historians have exclaimed: “If only the quilt could talk! The stories it would tell!”

Of course, quilts were not always given a certain name. It is not until the late 19th century (1800s), when more quilt patterns were published, that many quilt block designs acquired names, perhaps some assigned by publishers.

We enjoy hearing from readers of our website.

If anyone has further information about this block, I’d love to hear from you. Write to: pat@quiltersmuse.com

Thanks to the reader who sent in this question.

P.S. I did look at one of my books about Symbols. The equilateral cross is an ancient symbol used to form the basis for the architecture of Greek churches. The group of four directions of an equilateral cross can depict the four seasons or the four winds. The shape is the symbol of the Red Cross.

A circle can represent eternity – as it has no beginning and no end. For any symbol, its meaning is known only to the person who creates it.

As people who enjoy art, we can try to interpret a meaning, but it is pure conjecture. To make this quilt-related, please see my many (Underground Railroad and Quilts) files … about quilt blocks and their interpreted meanings as described in the book, Hidden in Plain View and in other books.

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications