June 7

BLYTHE’S BEST, 6″, Light

Blythe’s Best is Judy Hopkins’ name for this block, which was originally one of the designs from the Godey’s Lady’s Book, 1858. Unfortunately, the Godey’s Lady’s Book didn’t assign names to the blocks, so we are left with a collection of blocks called Godey Design, so I’ve adopted Judy’s name. I love this block. Enjoy!

Blythe’s Best has a lovely background checkerboard, the same as the Pride of Ohio block from the Kansas City Star in 1939. Don’t you think this is a handy setting for any square block?

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Download June 7 instructions (as .pdf).

June 8

ODD FELLOW’S CHAIN, 6″, Light

Odd Fellow’s Chain is the name given to today’s block by the Ladies Art Company, c. 1895. The block is also sometimes known as Odd Fellow’s March (1918), Old Maid’s Ramble (1978) and San Diego (Nancy Page, c. 1920s – 1940s). It’s a great block to have up your sleeve as a feature block, or the centre of a medallion.

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Download June 8 instructions (as .pdf).

June 9

STEPS TO THE ALTAR, 6″, Light

According to Jinny Beyer, this block was first recorded in the Illinois State Register in 1933. A nice easy block today because we have a fiddly one tomorrow! Enjoy.

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Download June 9 instructions (as .pdf).

June 10

TWELVE CROWNS, 6″, Light

Twelve Crowns is a magnificent block; another good one for a feature block or medallion, especially for a wedding quilt. We are slightly crazy doing it at 6″, but it’s worth it to get the variation in size to make your border interesting.

This block was named Twelve Crowns in Farm Journal and Farmer’s Wife in 1941, according to Jinny Beyer. Previously, it had been called Bride’s Puzzle in Prairie Faarmer‘s Quilt Booklet No 1, c. 1931, and Barbara Brackman also found it as Wedding March in one of the Comfort publications (they published magazines, mail order catalogues and booklets between 1888 to 1942).

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Download June 10 instructions (as .pdf).

June 11

COLT’S CORRAL, 6″, Light

The version of this with five stripes as published c. 1895 by the Ladies Art Company, with the ignominious title of Five Stripes! Colt’s Corral came from the a column in the Seattle Post-lntelligencer in the 1920s and 30s. The only difference between this and a Rail Fence pattern is that the stripes whirl out from the centre.

An easy one, to make up for yesterday!

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Rail Fence

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Download June 11 instructions (as .pdf).

June 12

HEN AND HER CHICKS, 6″, Light

A nice simple block today. Hen and Her Chicks was first published in the Kansas City Star in 1947. The block is quite variable. Variations include:
* a plain square in the centre,
* the centre patch the same size as the nine-patch
* without the long strips joining the nine-patches

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