Why I love Sampler Quilts
Most of you know that I love Sampler Quilts! Some of this love comes from my teaching, Sampler Quilts offer me a vehicle to teach my students techniques that they can then apply to their general quilt making. Blocks used in Sampler Quilts are a good way to do that, due to the variety of blocks utilized. However, my true love of Sampler quilts has it’s foundation with my Grandmother and her love of quilting.
My Grandmother was a drapery seamstress and frequently had scraps or remnants, as she called them. She applied the more elaborate remnants, along with a surplus of embellishments, in her Crazy Quilts. Crazy Quilts are a topic and project for another day. Back to Sampler Quilts, which she made with her high-count cotton remnants. Some blocks were appliqued, but the majority were hand-pieced, and they were all different. I’d often sit with her while she was sewing, and ask her questions regarding the block or the unit she was working on (I know you have a hard time imagining me asking questions -not!).
At times, she had a meaningful explanation, sharing the block’s history or its significance. I remember one of the blocks she was working on, she referred to the block as the “Hand of Friendship”, most quilters would recognize the block as the “Bear's Paw”. It has 4 paws, each pointing, in a different direction. My Grandmother’s family settled in Philadelphia, from Germany, shortly after the turn of the century. Philadelphia had a tremendous influence from the Quakers and the Quakers dubbed the quilt block, the “Hand of Friendship”. In any event, my Grandmother explained that she was making a Sampler Quilt for a friend of hers, who had recently become a widow, and she felt she needed to make her friend a quilt to provide comfort, therefore she was selecting quilt blocks reflecting friendship. My Grandmother felt the “Hand of Friendship” block, with the “hands” reaching in all directions, communicated that you have friends all around you, there to embrace you. For those of you that follow me on Facebook, you may have noticed in photos the quilt that I keep on the back of the sofa I use most, often with Cal curled up with me, is a “Hand of Friendship” or a “Bear’s Paw” quilt. Even though it is a quilt I made myself, it always makes me think of her. Additionally, it makes me think back to the Generations Retreat, in PA, where I made the quilt, with great friends!
Sampler Quilts originally became popular in the mid-1800s, the quilters decide to change things up a bit, rather than having a center focal point in a quilt, such as a medallion style quilt, quilters began to lay out their blocks into a grid like construction. Typically, each block of a Sampler Quilt is different. The blocks can vary in size, be set horizontal or on-point, with or without sashing. At times, there may be a theme to the quilt, but more often it is just a mix of designs or techniques. Sampler Quilts were often intended to serve as teachings, which I can appreciate. They were also created to document the lives of the quilter, her friends, her children or her students. Similar, to my Grandmother, a quilter would choose a pattern or patterns to convey an impression or feeling.
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| Michelle's Starburst Sampler - Taught in her Tucker Tool Time Pattern Series |
At times, she had a meaningful explanation, sharing the block’s history or its significance. I remember one of the blocks she was working on, she referred to the block as the “Hand of Friendship”, most quilters would recognize the block as the “Bear's Paw”. It has 4 paws, each pointing, in a different direction. My Grandmother’s family settled in Philadelphia, from Germany, shortly after the turn of the century. Philadelphia had a tremendous influence from the Quakers and the Quakers dubbed the quilt block, the “Hand of Friendship”. In any event, my Grandmother explained that she was making a Sampler Quilt for a friend of hers, who had recently become a widow, and she felt she needed to make her friend a quilt to provide comfort, therefore she was selecting quilt blocks reflecting friendship. My Grandmother felt the “Hand of Friendship” block, with the “hands” reaching in all directions, communicated that you have friends all around you, there to embrace you. For those of you that follow me on Facebook, you may have noticed in photos the quilt that I keep on the back of the sofa I use most, often with Cal curled up with me, is a “Hand of Friendship” or a “Bear’s Paw” quilt. Even though it is a quilt I made myself, it always makes me think of her. Additionally, it makes me think back to the Generations Retreat, in PA, where I made the quilt, with great friends!
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| Cal Pal wrapped up in Michelle's Hand of Friendship Quilt (aka Bear's Paw) |
Sampler Quilt’s popularity ebbed and flowed throughout the 1800s, like today’s quilt designs. The main way quilt patterns were spread throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, was by women sharing them between friends and family. In the early 1900s, Amish, Quakers and English quilters were attracted to more complicated pieced blocks. Newspapers and magazines started to publish patterns and quilters would cut these out and save them, especially during the 1930s Depression. I remember, my Grandmother having a box of these patterns, she cherished them and would often go through them, similarly to how many of us now page through Pinterest.
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| Illustration of Bear's Paw |
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| Michelle's beloved Quilt |
These Newspaper patterns were often made by Quilters and ended up in Sampler Quilts. Often the Quilters would get together to sew together, often creating a group quilt. According to my Grandmother, this is often when they would discuss the various quilt block names. The Newspaper referred to a block as one name, however some of the ladies may have known it as another name.
As I go through my Timeless with a Twist pattern series, I will try and highlight some of the different quilt block names, based on information I’ve collected. The various names and slight differences in the blocks just result from the blocks being passed from one quilter to another, each adding their own spin, which I think many of us can appreciate.
I personally, like the variety of Sampler Quilts, I get a little bored piecing the same block again and again. If the blocks are challenging, I don’t mind repeating the blocks, however I love to change things up. I find if I’m always creating something new, it keeps my interest. Even repeating the same block, but changing the fabric, color or value placement keeps it new.
For the most part, all possible block designs have been created through time, but since Quilters are constantly modifying things here and there, thus creating fresh blocks all the time, on the surface there is an endless supply of quilt blocks to choose. I hope to highlight some of these variations throughout my Timeless with a Twist pattern series.
Whether you consider yourself a traditional or modern quilter, a beginner or advanced, I believe you will enjoy and learn new skills while piecing through my patterns series. The series will offer 48 blocks and at least 5 Sampler Settings.
Remember. Sampler Quilts are a great way to use your scraps or stash. You can easily augment them through purchasing blenders. It will be easy to mix and match fabrics throughout the series, you can use all sorts of fabrics of various shapes and sizes. If you don’t have scraps or stash (no judgement here), go out and purchase yourself a bunch of fat quarters, that will give you the most variety with the smallest investment.
I hope you will join me for this journey and will fall in love with Sampler Quilts!
Happy New Years!
Michelle
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