Several years ago, I acquired a funky leaf appliqué quilt from an online auction. I put in a single small bid, then forgot about the item. I was surprised to find that I was the new owner, but I was excited to see if my hunch about the quilt was correct from just a few little pictures. It appeared to be a mid-1800s quilt with signature stamps – my favorite type of quilt and my collecting specialty. The auction listing gave no information about the quilt, its origin, date, etc – not an uncommon occurrence given the dearth of information that is attached to most antique quilts. However, in this case, the quilt had a great story to tell if the auction house had given it even a cursory glance. This applique quilt is a signature album quilt complete with lots of names, some dates, and every block identified with the town where the quilt was made!

When I received the quilt, I started examining the blocks and saw the names, dates (1848), and the town of origin: Barnegat. A quick online search of a few names confirmed my guess of Barnegat, NJ, A.K.A. the Jersey Shore. So, I had what appeared to be an antique signature quilt from New Jersey that was 170 years old, but something was amiss. Some of the signature stamps looked like they had been outlined with modern ballpoint pens. The quilt was not quilted but instead tied with yarn all over the blocks in a garish treatment for such a great quilt. Not something that would have been done by the original makers and not a period quilt finishing practice. Speaking of finishing, the edge was done with a lovely knife edge, a difficult method not usually seen in the 1840s.

Then I examined the quilt backing: plain bleached muslin. Plain muslin backings were not unheard of but not usual for the era of the blocks. On closer inspection, I found the unmistakable sign of feed/food sacking (cloth product bags), which is the stitching line along the fabric edges. Cloth commodity bags had a chainstitch along the top edge, which left visible lines; a similar stitch is used now on large dogfood bags. This moved that fabric into the 1900s.

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There is no better way to learn history and have fun than through examining, studying, and researching antique quilts. In preparation for my American Quilt Study Group Quiltside Chat with Carolyn Ducey, curator of the International Quilt Museum, in June, I was researching several 1840s signature album quilts from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Trenton, New Jersey, region. I focused on several quilts that are quilted genealogical records and textile documents. These quiltmakers paired the formula of the recording family history in the front of the family Bible and documenting the sentiments of friends in autograph albums to create the phenomenon of signature album quilts. They also provided more signs to their lives that you will find if you look more closely. There are indicators of occupations, favorite flowers, birds, books, and Bible verses. There are also political preferences or examples of quilters voting with their needles if you understand the clues and the signs of the time in which the quilts were made.

One of the museum quilts I researched, while made a bit later and farther west of the main selections, the Hepzibah Shinn Cox quilt (IQM 2012.028.0001, Ohio, 1857, Quaker), features an interesting political message. A furry ram applique nestled among floral appliques in the center of the quilt could be viewed as just a cute sheep block. But luckily for us, the block maker added “Hurrah for Old Buck,” the nickname for President James Buchanan, who was in office when the quilt was made. The block is a subtle but strong indicator of the political commitment of the quiltmaker. Similarly, the Sarah Wistar Album Quilt (IQM #2005.059.0001, Pennsylvania, 1842, Quaker) is not only an amazing genealogical record with a literal family tree drawn in the center but shares the maker’s political allegiance. The center section also displays a tribute to Whig Party President William Henry Harrison. It includes all the states in the Union during his brief 1841 presidency along with a log cabin. Sadly, Harrison was only in office for 30 days as he died after giving a very long inaugural speech in bad weather. The Whig Party adopted the symbols of the folksy log cabin and hard cider to appeal to the common man.

The log cabin seemed familiar, and in reviewing photos I found the same inked log cabins on a couple of other early signature quilts made by Quaker families in the Philadelphia area. A cousin quilt to the Wistar Album — the Pennock Album quilt (1842, Chester County Pennsylvania Historical Society Collection) not only has a similar genealogical record as the Wistar Album but also the same symbol of political preference – a log cabin. Specifically, the block for “S. Pennock aged 72” displays a cabin with a barrel labeled “hard cider,” a clear indication of the Whig Party. Additionally, the Mary Worrall Parry quilt (Quaker, Delaware County, Pennsylvania 1844, private collection), also features a log cabin. That cabin features a flag supporting Henry Clay, the 1844 Whig presidential candidate. Without the name on the flag or the hard cider label, it would be easy to miss the party preference and view the cabin as just a little house. It is fascinating to see these Quaker quilters were voting with their needles and recording political affiliations along with family genealogy. It makes me want to continue to explore and discover messages hidden in the cloth. Keep your eyes open and you may learn about history the fun way – through antique quilts!

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Imagine being let loose in the most amazing quilt museum in the world and getting to pick out any quilt to take home. Well … This was my most recent quilty assignment with my beloved American Quilt Study Group. I was to decide what quilt I would take out of the International Quilt Museum – if it were NOT a crime. Darn! I knew it sounded too good to be true. But I did get to do a lot of dreaming and thinking and studying.

OK, a bit of background on the assignment and the history of Quiltside Chats, which is a partnership between the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, NE, and the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG), also headquartered in Lincoln. The project sponsor is Quiltfolk Magazine. An AQSG member is asked which quilt they would sneak out of the building and then discuss the quilt and what makes it intriguing with the Museum Curator of Collections, Carolyn Ducey, in an hourlong lively conversation: a Quiltside Chat. The series has been ongoing for more than three years and is up to the 17th episode with yours truly. The chats air every few months on Facebook Live; then they can be found on the American Quilt Study Group YouTube channel. If you haven’t discovered them yet, you are in for a real treat as the past episodes cover a range of incredible quilts showcased by knowledgeable quilt scholars. The quilts discussed run the gamut from early embroidered quilts (1700s England) to fancy Chintz Applique of the 1840s, to several 1930s and 1940s quilts, and on to the work of Jean Ray Laury in the 1970s.

The International Quilt Museum is a world-class facility; it has an amazing collection of quilts mainly due to the foresight of collectors Ardis and Robert James. Their collection and financial support were and are the bedrock of the museum, continuing through their foundation. You could spend days viewing all the online collections and resources at internationalquiltmuseum.org. I highly recommend visiting both online and in person.

How to choose just one quilt? Even if it is a dream or maybe because it is a magical exercise, how could I limit myself to a single quilt? I watched all the previous episodes and realized I could follow the lead of my fellow AQS Certified Quilt Appraiser and Collector, Mary W. Kerr, and choose several quilts. I could tie them into my own collections and wide-ranging interests and general love of antique quilts. Of course, I had to focus on 1840s antique signature quilts from the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area especially with Quaker ties – my passion. Some fancy and some fairly simple quilts; but I also wanted to highlight a couple of more humble quilts and even a total wildcard: a funky four block Eagle Quilt.

My episode is airing on June 30, and so you should be able to watch it on YouTube right after you finish reading this article. I hope you will enjoy learning about the quilts, I would love to swipe from the museum and why. The museum has thousands of quilts from across the world and I hope you will visit them. Don’t forget to watch the prior episodes of the Quiltside Chats to learn more about some of the interesting people behind the quilt seams. You will be inspired to pick out a few quilts to try to sneak out. Cue the Mission Impossible theme song and I’ll meet you in Lincoln.

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Quilted bags, totes, and fabric pouches of all sizes are having a moment. Why not join in on the fun?
As I have mentioned several times, giving yourself a challenge, and trying new things is a terrific way to exercise your brain. And what better way to work your brain than learning a new skill like bag making?

There are sew many options from super simple bags with button closures to fancy purses or overnight bags with multiple compartments, see-through mesh or plastic pockets, and numerous zippers and everywhere in between. There are bags for every skill level and time commitment, from a quick evening clutch made in an afternoon to a multi-day effort for the perfect bag for your next travel adventure.

As you might guess, there are many different options for learning how to make a bag and finding patterns, from loads of downloadable PDFs on Etsy and websites to an array of online tutorials and classes (both free and paid). There are many materials available to help make the process easier and more efficient. For most bags you will need a stabilizer to give support and stability to your bag. For many bags you will need zippers and or other “hardware” and then also mesh or sewable plastic or vinyl for pockets or compartments. If you are feeling adventurous you can experiment with tapestry/ upholstery type fabric or even cork fabric, yes, you can really sew with cork! Are you getting excited about making a bag? I hope you are. Remember, one secret to staying young is continuing to learn new skills.

Personally, I had not made a bag since I made a simple fabric bag/purse without zippers or pockets about 20 years ago. Then I was challenged to make a bag as an Island Batik Ambassador. One of our sponsors is ByAnnie, a Utah-based company, owned by Annie Unrein, built upon patterns and supplies for making bags and other containers. For my first Challenge in 2022, I played it safe and made an easy pattern – Contain Yourself. I made all three sizes of soft sided fabric bins from the pattern. I got braver in 2023 and made two bags from the Night and Day pattern – a purse and mini tote with zippers, and magnetic snaps (see photo). It was challenging to work with zippers and sewing magnets was interesting, but then I do like a challenge. Both patterns had bonus “add-on videos” that really helped me in following the step-by-step patterns. This year, I will be making more containers/bins, this time with zippers, from the Room With a View pattern.

Have fun and be creative. You can use new fabric to make a bag or recycle leftover blocks or UFOs (unfinished objects) or old shirts. You can even upcycle an old quilt. Using a quilt as prequilted fabric is a quick way to make a brand-new bag. And speaking of easy, try the sew by numbers, quilt as you go batting by June Tailor. The pattern is printed on the batting, and you simply follow the numbers to create a bag (like paint by numbers). Another great option is the Mondo Bag, one of the most popular quilty bags ever. The QuiltSmart pattern is printed on fusible interfacing, and you sew on the lines to create an easy, really big bag perfect for carrying a quilt to show and tell at your next guild meeting. Explore the internet for many more options and challenge yourself!

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As I mentioned last month, if you have not been making butter or repairing wagons, you may not be aware of the history behind the classic Churn Dash or Monkey Wrench quilt pattern.

A brief refresher: “Churn Dash” is based on the block’s similarity to a dash or dasher; the cross-shaped paddle in the center of a

butter churn. “Monkey Wrench” is based on the block’s resemblance to a fixed carriage or wagon wrench and to adjustable wrenches (look at the top row of the block and visualize the gripping teeth of a wrench). The quilt block and these names and many others have been around since about 1855.

If you ask quilters for their favorite quilt design, of course, you will get a variety of responses, but many will answer with the Churn Dash or Monkey Wrench block. It is a great pattern for beginning quilters, but intermediate and advanced quilters enjoy it as well. There are more than 40 published names for the traditional block, another indicator of the pattern’s strong approval with quilters. The block is a variation of a nine patch; composed of a center square, half square triangle corners with four rectangle sets or squares in between. The blocks are pieced as either an even nine patch or uneven nine patch.

The pattern has never gone out of style and is still extremely popular today. If you do a search for Churn Dash, you will find a variety of antique, traditional, modern blocks, and quilts. There is so much inspiration and direction for your next project. I have enjoyed playing, creating, and experimenting with the traditional block over the years and giving it a modern twist. Like my Echoing Churn Dash (see photo) made for Quiltmaker 100 Blocks, many modern versions highlight multiple Churn Dashes in one block reminiscent of nesting dolls.

You will see Churns or Wrenches all over the quilting universe from Pinterest boards to Etsy shops, how to quilt books, quilt history books, blog hops, quilt alongs, social media accounts, and many magazines – including the cover of the newest issue of American Patchwork & Quilting (June 2024) that is arriving to newsstands now. And speaking of that cover quilt, Scrappy Churn Dash by Jen Kingwell is a unique modern version of the classic pattern. It features an uneven nine patch with neighboring blocks sharing their corner squares and a single blue fabric for the large centers and backgrounds.

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