Online since 2002. Patricia and James Cummings, Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH

Quilt Block Pattern Identification
Information for the Uninitiated

by Patricia L. Cummings

Introduction

Since the beginning of the twentieth century, a number of women have sought to leave a permanent record of the names that certain quilt blocks have been given in print. Nomenclature for quilt blocks can become very cumbersome and confusing, inasmuch as a geometric configuration may have more than one name, and often has many different names. Quilt blocks are named according to the wishes of the quilter, designer, or publisher.

This re-naming of old patterns continues even in today's newly-published print material. Sometimes, only a slight variation is made to a known design, and then the pattern is granted an entirely new name. This practice follows an age-old tradition among quilters.

Quilts fall into certain categories. The language of quilting helps us to communicate about a quilt. Here, we are not so much interested in whether a quilt is a “Whole-cloth Quilt,” a “Crazy Quilt,” or any other “umbrella” category of generic quilt types.We will concern ourselves here mainly with quilt block names.

Block Designs

Traditional block names provide a vehicle for quilters to communicate. For example, if a quilter calls another quilter on the telephone and say that she is making a “Nine Patch” quilt block, the friend would immediately have a point of reference as to the kind of quilt that is being worked on.

The sheer number of possible quilt block designs makes it is an impossible task for even the most astute quilt scholar to know and memorize all of the configurations and their possible names, even if the subject is studied for a lifetime. If we learn nothing else from postings of quilt auctions online, we can readily see that the number and variations of American-made quilts has been just astounding!

With a nod to early quilt researchers such as Marie Webster, Ruth Finley, Rose Kretsinger, and Carrie Hall who collected information and published information about their findings and observations during the first part of the twentieth century, the more recent work of a new generation of quilt historians, who were inspired by these ladies, has been even more comprehensive.

A Chronological Look at Recent Quilt Block Cataloguers

Judy Rehmel researched block designs and prepared an index guide for them by way of her book Key to 1,000 Quilt Patterns. The self-published book designates whether a block is pieced and appliquéd, pieced and embroidered, or if it stands solely as simply a geometric configuration.

Each page of this 230 page book shows line drawings of five different blocks, diagrammed and named. The book's size is very handy and is small enough to easily tuck into a pocketbook or tote bag. The book was copyrighted in 1978, 1979, and 1992. My copy, a Third Edition, First Printing, 1992, carries the ISBN number: 0-913731-08-0. Judy Rehmel may have published two other quilt indexes of this type, for which I have no concrete information, at the present time.

Susan Winter Mills' book, 849 Traditional Patchwork Patterns: A Pictorial Handbook, is just what the name implies. This book was first printed as the Illustrated Index to Traditional American Quilt Patterns (New York: Arco Publishing, 1980). In 1989, the book was reprinted by Dover Publications in New York. Both the original and the reprint have generous size drawings of quilt blocks along with their names and name variations.

Collector's Dictionary of Quilt Names by Yvonne Khin (Acropolis Books, 1988) is an invaluable reference that is now out-of-print. This thick hardcover volume contains pattern names for 2,400 quilt blocks, both pieced and appliquéd. The book features six quilt block diagrams per page as well as notations about where the pattern was previously published, plus a little of the history of the pattern, as known by the author. This book is worth owning, should you come across it in a used book store or online.

Barbara Brackman created a thick, hardcover book called the Encyclopedia of Pieced Patterns (KY: American Quilter's Society, 1993) which has more than 4,000 quilt block designs presented in black and white drawings. She prepared a separate volume for appliqué designs: Encyclopedia of Appliqué. Most quilt appraisers own one or both books and rely heavily on them to verify the names of unknown quilt blocks. In addition to finished blocks, there is additional information about pieced units that conjoin with other units to make a quilt. No serious quilter would be without either of these books.
 

Twenty-first Century Cataloguers

The hardcover book entitled 5,500 Quilt Block Designs by Maggie Malone (New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2003) presents all of the block patterns in color and names them. The book has a “key” consisting of letter abbreviations for the companies who have published the patterns. Historical information is provided for many of the blocks. This book is very heavy because it is packed full of useful information! The back cover says that "This is the one book no quilter can do without." This extensive collection of colorful geometric quilt patterns qualifies as "eye candy." This book would make a nice addition to any quilter's library.
 

Another lovely book is entitled, The Quilter's Block Bible by Celia Eddy (WI: Krause Publications, 2003). This hardcover book is spiral bound with a Wire-O binding. In the beginning pages, the author writes about “The quilt block in history,” and provides many tips on choosing fabrics, “working with color and pattern,” drafting blocks, making templates, and sewing blocks into quilts. Pages 40-236 are devoted to wonderful color examples of blocks, a nicely written description for each block, a black and white diagram with numbered pieces to add in construction of your own block, and a full page color photo which demonstrates how the block would look when set together with other blocks that are the same. This is a compelling book that packs a punch, and is a book that I would recommend.
 

Each of the reference books named here are wonderful in their own way. While they may not be books that one would use every day, they would serve any serious student of quilt history well, as references for their libraries.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster of New Hampshire, a 1930s quilt historian, sought to "save quilt designs," not by sewing pieces of fabric together, but by gluing pieces of cloth or wallpaper onto a cardboard-like background, or by painting them. The final product of her work, she called, "charts." She carried these with her to quilt lectures, since she did not own all of the antique quilts that she replicated.

All of those designs are available in an e-book by Patricia and James Cummings that is available to purchase with check, money order, or Paypal payment. For details, see the Products Available page.

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©Copyright 2006-2009. Patricia L. Cummings, Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH. If I have neglected to mention any other quilt index, through oversight or unawareness, please let me know. Contact: pat@quiltersmuse.com Thank you!

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