Moore About Nancy: Grandma's Garden quilt block

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Grandma's Garden quilt block

Grandma's Garden

February 19, 1933- Nancy Cabot wrote, "Grandma's prim, little formal flower beds were the inspiration for this quilt" in reference to the quilt block she introduced that day in the Chicago Tribune as Grandma's Garden.

Nancy states that the centers should be deep yellow bordered with pastel prints, then green and "a winding gravel pathway joins them all.'

The whole quilt was to be bordered with "three rows of blending hues." I can't say I have ever seen this quilt pattern made like that!

She also tells us the the same block without the row of green is called French Bouquet.

I did not make this block for two reasons, a 6" block would take tiny pieces and I don't think the block is suitable for a sampler quilt. The typical method to make this block today would probably be English paper piecing but 80 years ago it would have been hand pieced. I have several antique blocks of this pattern and all are hand sewn.

Since I didn't make a block today, I thought I would share with you the Nancy Cabot pattern I just bought. I know it's her pattern because the writing on it came straight out of her newspaper article!

So, this is what you bought for 5 cents in stamp or coin from Nancy Cabot and the Chicago Tribune in 1933. It appears to me to be printed on newsprint so I'm assuming that the newspaper printed the patterns.

The blocks this week were-