“A Blast from the Past” Includes Patriotic & Pioneer Quilt Designs
July 1, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
Filed under Home & Living
“A Blast from the Past” – the Lifestyles Channel’s Promo Day theme – encompasses the upcoming Fourth of July holiday and patriotism. As I browse through quilt names, I find many that refer to our country’s history or Americana.
Do you know what any of these names mean or refer to in our history, whether patriotic, political, or pioneer?
- Old Tippecanoe
- Union Star
- Mill Wheel
- Water Wheel
- Clay’s Choice
- The Little Giant
- Churn Dash
- Lincoln’s Platform
- Rail Fence
- Log Cabin & Log Cabin Star
- Whig’s Defeat
- “Fifty-Four-Forty-or-Fight”
- White House Steps
- Madison’s Patch
- Kansas Dugout
- Democratic Donkey
- Elephant
For instance, Madison’s Patch refers to President James Madison. It’s claimed that his wife, Dolly, had a quilt patch named in his honor.
Of course, Log Cabin is reminiscent of the pioneer homes.
Which others can you tell us about? I’ll describe some more in a future post, along with your answers.
(Amazon image; click on it for details)
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
Well I know Old Tippecanoe refers to President Wm. Henry Harrison (”Tippecanoe and Tyler too”), but didn’t know it is a quilt pattern.
I would guess that the “churn dash” pattern would resemble the paddle of a butter churn.
There’s a lot of history in them thar quilts!
Happy 4th Mary Emma!!
Thanks, Eileen, for visiting Quilting and Patchwork and checking out these quilt names. Yes, Tippecanoe and Tyler too was a famous cry during that era. I would conclude, too, that the churn dash refers to the dasher butter churn, like my grandmother had. Isn’t there lots of history in quilts…the names, the fabric, and the quiltrs who made them.