The other day we discussed the Irish Chain pattern in connection with the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day.  Why not a Double Irish Chain?
Penny Halgren, at How to Quilt has posted the pattern and directions for the Double Irish Chain.  She says that even though it looks complicated, it’s really fairly straight forward since the quilt is made by using only two basic blocks.
(Amazon image)
If you give it a try, let us know how you make out?

With St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, coming up, we begin to see information about quilts and fabric art relating to things Irish.
At Penny Halgren’s How to Quilt web site, we discover directions for an Irish Chain Quilt.  Penny says this is a perfect project for a beginner, at least with her instructions.  She also gives you ideas for using colors other than the traditional greens.
(Amazon image)

I’ve received a number of questions about identifying quilt patterns various quilters have acquired.  I don’t have pictures, but from the descriptions, does anyone have an idea what it might be.  It’s simply fascinating, too, to learn some of the stories surrounding the quilts you own.
Ruthie asked:
Recently i was given a rather strange unfinished quilt. It was made of scraps of fabric, I think mostly of old clothing. The fabric is a real mixture of texture and colors and probably from th depression era. Going through it is a white 2 inch wide curving strip. It continues through each square. …read more

In a previous post, I asked, “Were Any First Ladies Quilters or Needleworkers?”  I haven’t discovered any yet, but I’m still researching.
However, there were some quilting blocks named for a few First Ladies and their official residence.

White House Rose
White House Steps
Dolly Madison’s Star
Martha Washington’s Wreath
Mrs. Cleveland’s Choice
Aunt Martha’s Wild Rose (Would this, by some stretch of the imagination, be named for Martha Washington?
Ladies’ Delight (I suppose this could be for all the First Ladies.)

There must be more patterns for the White House and the First Ladies.  I’ve only begun my research.

 
Quilting in the White House

Did any of the presidents’ wives do needlework and quilting as a pastime?  Do we have any evidence of their work? I was wondering if any of my readers have come across quilts and needlework by the ladies and daughters of the White House.
 Incidentally, while researching for my book The Magic of Patchwork, I did discover that Dwight Eisenhower and his brother Milton helped their mother with quiltmaking when they were young boys.
 Those were the days when quilts were necessary bedding in many homes, so youngsters of all ages and sex had to pitch in and help, …read more

As I was browsing blogs today, I found a unique birches quilt at Crafter by Night and just had to share.  I was particularly struck by the colors…turquoise, tan, brown, beige and white. 
Miriam’s quilt isn’t finished, but she shows us some “in progress” photos.  Perhaps you’ll be inspired as I was when viewing the birches quilt. 
I also subscribe to Miriam’s blog so get to see many of the crafts she does.

Quilters, ga-ga over the election of Obama and the Inauguration festivities, have been sewing up a storm for several months to commemmorate the occasion, as I describe in Obama Quilts and Quilters – All the Rage.  This has drawn attention to quilts at Inauguration time and has me researching presidential and patriotic quilts of the past.
Among these are:

Clay’s Choice
Courthouse Steps 
Lincoln’s Platform
Whig Rose
White House Steps
Little Giant
Alexander Hamilton’s Quilt
Democrat Rose
Whig’s Defeat
Washington’s Quilt
Mrs. Cleveland’s Choice
Old Tippecanoe
Potomac Pride
Martha Washington’s Wreath
Democrat Donkey

Do you know names of any modern day politicians, presidents, or patriotic events to add to this list?

THURSDAY THIRTEEN
 I mentioned, in a previous post, National Bird Day – Inspiration for Quilters.   Then wondered what patterns had evolved with bird names over the years.  Here are some I found:

Bird of Paradise  (See design above)
Turkey Tracks
Dove of Peace
Duck Paddle
Goose Tracks
Hen and Chickens
Goose-in-the-Pond
Wild Goose Chase
Swallows-in-the-Window
Flying Geese
Flying Swallows
Fox and Geese
Duck and Ducklings

Have you made any of these?
(Rainbow Hawaiian Products image)

THURSDAY THIRTEEN
As I was browsing through quilt names (those of days ago fascinate me and cause me to wonder how they came about), I noticed that many pertained to the weather.  Events in the lives of early quiltmakers often found their way into their quilting, and the weather definitely played a role in daily happenings.
Here are 13 that seem to have come from the weather or were weather related:
 

Blazing Sun
Star of the Four Winds
Weather Vane
Sun Burst
Sunshine and Shadow
Wind-Mill
Setting Sun
Rainbow
Flying Clouds
Rising Sun
Rainbow Star
Sunbeam
North Wind

Are you familiar with any other weather related quilt patterns?
(Amazon image)

  THURSDAY THIRTEEN
Have you made any of these?  I made the Missouri Star pattern in a quilt for a customer.  It was a lot of work, but was a lovely quilt in the colors the customer wanted.
My daughter created the Ohio Star in a wall hanging for her grandmother’s room in assisted living.  Her grandmother grew up in Ohio. 

Ohio Star
Missouri Star
Lone Star (Texas)
Iowa Star
Tennessee Star
Virginia’s Star
North Carolina Star
Kansas Sunflower
California Rose
Indiana Puzzle
Kentucky Rose
Rocky Road to Kansas
Florida Star

Of course, there are more states with patterns named after them, but for today’s post, I’ll stop at thirteen.  Have you made any of these…or …read more