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Help with quilt block name origins

Hi ya'll, I have been a quilter for about 7 years now and occasionally read the posts on this news group. Recently I started doing some volunteer work for the local historical association. I have been asked to come up with some activities for the children's room, especially something with quilts. As there is already a collection of felt squares and triangles, we thought we'd make a board for kids to put together quilts blocks. I'd like to have some examples already printed out showing the block, what a whole quilt would look like with just that block and why the block has the name it does. This last part is where my problem lies. While I have found lots of books that talk about quilt history in general, or even specific topics (like quilts on the underground railroad), I haven't found any that tell about the name origins of specific blocks. Does anyone know of any books that have this info, or even websites?

Thanks so much, Meme in NNY

Reply to
Meme Greathouse
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The problem with the origin of names for a specific block is there are so many names for the same block. Take for instance the one block I adore - I was raised calling it Monkey Wrench, but the local quilt shop calls it a Snail's Trail, and I've heard it called Dutchman's Puzzle. But I've also heard Dutchman's Puzzle refer to Drunkard's Path... so half the time, I'm never completely sure which block someone's describing when they talk about a particular block. Names are regional for the most part, although a few quilt types seem to have only one name- like Baltimore Album quilts.

And no, I don't have a resource that tracks the names of quilt blocks. I've just seen it in several magazines. Mom has magazines from the 70s and 80s with blocks pictured that match my 2003 magazines that have completely different names.

-georg

Reply to
georg

I wonder if there's anything over at womensearlyart.net/quilts/ that might be helpful to you. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

In article , Julia Altshuler wrote: - snippage -

YippIE You! Now that is news worthy of a happy dance! Of course, not the tough part of convincing the die hard believers about it begins...

marcella

Reply to
Marcella Tracy Peek

Frankly Lia it amazes me that there are so many people that put credence in that report, and other legends. It seems just common sense to me that during a time of great deprivation and strife it would be difficult to start making quilts with certain designs just to use as signals. For one thing, the cotton producing states were at war and not trading with the North, so the Yankee mills were short of raw material. Furthermore, common sense also tells me that the quiltmakers would not have been able to secretly publicize the quilt block codes .... communication would be difficult, due to low literacy, war, and other problems. It would not surprise me if there was a few families who did have a little signal amongst themselves ... such as "If there is a quilt on the porch chair, we have a problem." But I wouldn't think it would have been a nation wide, or even state wide, signal. Heck the escapes had to be done in secret, so widespread knowledge of signals would have endangered the escapees, the rescuers, and the helpers. Another thing that would not surprise me is that the block sometimes called Underground Rail Road was named AFTER the events, to commemorate that time! Anyhow it has several other names; IIRC, '54-40 or fight' and 'Railroad Star' are used also. That's my opinion, based only on my common sense. Your opinions may vary folks ... you are entitled. 8-) PAT in VA/USA

Julia Altshuler wrote:...cut...

Reply to
Pat in Virginia

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