Quilt Patch of the Week – The 4-Patch
September 28, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
Filed under Home & Living
FOUR-PATCH PATTERN
One of the simpler quilt patterns to make, and to start with, is the Four-patch. It consists of four squares of the same size. You might have four different ones or two of one design and two of another. (See the blue and red patch near the center of the book cover.) Sew them together with the squares alternating, or one in upper left and the matching one in lower right. The other two are in the opposite corners.
Then you can sew them together without sashing, as my grandmother did. Or you can create a design. My grandmother also simply used whatever fabric she had on hand, including feed sacks, without a plan for the entire quilt.
No matter…I enjoyed learning quiltmaking with her, found my quilt a warm addition to my bed, and am pleased my mom never threw it out even though it became faded and well-worn. It’s now more than half a century old!!
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
I have made a Four-patch quilt before. It is simple but after about 30 minutes, you are sleep!
My grandmother would love this book! I love the woven qualities these quilts have!
Ooooo…I’d love to see a picture of your quilt!
So interesting that you mentioned how women repurposed empty feed sacks.
I saw some photos from the Depression recently of a family with four young girls all wearing feed sack dresses.
I didn’t know the sacks were made in such pretty patterns precisely so they could be repurposed. None of the dresses were identical. The patterns were all red and white but different.