Philadelphia Pavement quilt block

Philadelphia Pavement

March 7, 1933-Nancy Cabot presented the Philadelphia Pavement quilt block today in her Chicago Tribune column with the following title, "Quilt Pattern Is as Plain, Simple as the Quakers."  She goes on to say that the name has nothing to do with the streets of Philadelphia "but rather the tesselated entrances of so many of the old, old homes of the city."   She explains that similar designs were inlaid in the floors.

This block is a welcome relief to me from the complicated patterns of the last few days.  We can actually use our modern methods of rotary cutting, chain sewing, etc. to construct it.  It's really just a simple nine patch block with sashing and cornerstones.  You can get the rotary cutting instructions for a six inch block here.






I don't think this block needs much explanation but here goes for new quilters.  Start by making four half square triangle blocks.  Use those blocks and plain squares to make the center nine patch block.  Add sashing to two sides of the nine patch.  Sew a small square to each end of the other two sashing strips and then sew to opposite ends of the block and you are done!

This is how it would look in a quilt-

changing color of two cornerstones

Tomorrow-Rolling Stone