Jody Edwards, Desert Threads Quilt Chapter of AQG
As we all know, Arizona has the perfect weather for many winter activities and hobbies. But in the summer months, we look for different types of activities to fill those long, hot days, and quilting is a great hobby for summers in Arizona. This summer, Desert Threads invites you back in time to the days when quilt patterns were delivered to you in your newspaper.
One of the more intriguing chapters in quilting history is the period when newspapers printed quilt block patterns. The practice of publishing quilt patterns in newspapers became a widespread phenomenon in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These patterns were typically published in the form of detailed instructions, illustrations, and sometimes even full-page spreads dedicated to quilting. Readers could cut out the patterns, follow the step-by-step directions, and recreate intricate designs.
The first known instances of quilt block patterns being published in newspapers date back to the 1870s. In 1876 The New York Times published a pattern for a popular design known as “The Farmer’s Daughter,” a geometric quilt block that would later become a staple in American quilting.
If you would like to try making a Farmer’s Daughter quilt block, detailed instructions can be found at scrapdash.com/farmers-daughter-quilt-block or generations-quilt-patterns.com/farmers-daughter-quilt-block.html. The quilt block can easily be made from three colors of fabric: one medium color, one dark color, and one background color (usually light). The block can be made in many sizes. The Scrapdash pattern calls for five dark-color, 3-inch squares; eight background, 3-inch squares; eight medium-color, 3-inch squares; and 4 3-inch by 8-inch background rectangles. That will give you everything you need for the nine-patch center unit and four star-point units!
Quilting was often a communal activity. In rural areas, women would gather together for quilting bees where they would share stories and work on quilts for personal or charitable purposes. Today we call those chapter meetings and sew days!
If you want to make a Farmer’s Daughter block or any other quilt block and want help, advice, or just company while making it, a member of Desert Threads would be happy to help. You can send us an email at info@desertthreads.org or attend one of our informal group meetings. Our group meets the second Wednesday of each month during the summer months (June through August). The group meets at 10 a.m. in the Cottonwood Computer Learning Center for a very informal gathering to share “show and tell” projects and visit, with several members meeting for lunch afterwards. We also have time slots available all summer in the Oakwood Sewing Room where members meet and work on individual or group projects together.
For quilters, sewing is always fun, but it’s more fun when it’s done with friends!