by Patricia Lynne Cummings

Quilt blocks that were inspired by the Bible are the topic of a series of articles that I wrote for the September and November 2003 issues of The Quilter magazine. Fascinated by the subject, I have acquired every book that is specifically related to the topic, and I have searched through many other sources to find examples of Bible blocks. An amazing number of individual and unique blocks have been found.

Laurette Koserowski, the magazine's editor, was fascinated with one of the block names I mentioned. The block, “Tents of Armageddon,” was found in two different configurations, both of which use triangles.

One example has repeated half-square triangle units (shown in black and white), and was found in a now out-of-print book entitled, Illustrated Index to Traditional American Quilt Patterns by Susan Winter Mills (Arco Publishing, Inc. 1980). That book has since been reprinted.

There is a marked difference between that block and the blocks of a quilt called “Tents of Armageddon” which appears in a book called Virginia Quilt Museum (Howell Press, 2002). With the kind permission of the book’s editor, Dara Powers Parker and museum officials, a scan of the photo appears below. This quilt appears to be of the scrap bag variety, is colorful, and very lovely in appearance.

From the entries listed in Blockbase, it appears that the repeat triangles were also published under the name, “Thousands of Triangles” by McKendry; and as “Ocean Waves” by the Ladies Arts Company in 1898. The University of Kansas seems to have first published it as “Tents of Armageddon."

“Tents of Armageddon”

Quiltmaker and her location are unknown. This quilt was made circa 1900 and uses turn of the century scraps. Lucy Catherine Bowie used the quilt as a study piece. This quilt was given to the museum by Cheri Clum in memory of Elizabeth Clum.

The Virginia Quilt Museum book is a terrific book on quilt history with lots of large color photos! Please check http://www.howellpress.com for ordering information.

See an article that post dates this one at:
Quilt Blocks Inspired by the Bible.

©Copyright 2003, Patricia Cummings, Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH. Contact her at:  pat@quiltersmuse.com