So last week I posted about the Churn Dash Quilt I recently finished (above). I intended to share a bit about the Amish block. It has several names really. I've read a bit of history about it in Amish Abstractions by Joe Cunningham and Modern Quilts, Traditional Inspiration by Denyse Schmidt, if you care to read.
The version above is an Amish Shoo Fly its a 1940s original and is believed to have been made in Lancaster County using corduroy. It recently sold, but more info on it is available here.
Another Amish name for the quilt block is 'Hole in the Barn Door'.
Above is a Hole in the Barn Door kit sold here. Through many google image searches I've noticed most 'Hole in the Barn Door' blocks are on-point. I don't presume this is always so, but just something I've observed.
The third name I've seen for this traditional block pattern is the 'Monkey Wrench'. A while back I came across some info when searching 'monkey wrench block history'. It mentioned something about the Underground Railroad using the quilt to signal that it was almost time to leave, "gather your tools for the journey".
If you'd like to see some modern versions, here is one with many blocks in different sizes by Rachel at StitchedInColor. And my favorite minimalist version of this quilt I found on Pinterest, but I traced the source to here.
Thats fun finding variations of the same block. I encourage you to look into traditional block history, its quite fun sometimes.
>>----> Lindsay <-----<<
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Because you seem to have an interest in quilt history as do I, I thought you might want to check out the following regarding the underground railroad quilt code myth. (1) Barbara Brackman 2006 Facts & Fabrications: Unraveling the History of Quilts and Slavery
ReplyDelete(2) www.ugrrquilt.hartcottagequilts.com - very interesting and well researched.