Joseph's Coat quilt block

Joseph's Coat

November 14, 1933-Joseph's Coat is the name of the quilt block used in Nancy Cabot's pattern published today in the Chicago Tribune.

"This is an early American pattern, named Joseph's Coat, for the obvious reason that almost any number of materials and colors can be used in its execution," wrote Nancy. She added that "modern quilt makers seem to prefer it made up in only two colors, a more restrained effect more to the popular taste in the present day."

I started out making my block using only two fabrics, the print fabric and solid pink but didn't have enough pink fabric so had to add other fabrics and make it more scrappy. This reminded me that it is quite common to see an antique quilt where the quilt maker has run out of a fabric she was using and substituted another fabric she had on hand.

I paper pieced this block because I thought would be the easiest and most accurate way to make a 6" block. You can download my pattern here.  The paper pieced sections look like this-

I can't find any quilts made using the Joseph's Coat pattern but I did find an old pattern by Nancy Cabot here. This is another of those patterns I believe she published at a later date or in another place because the writing on the pattern is not the same as the writing in the newspaper article published today.

The pattern calls for twenty one 12" blocks alternated with twenty one white or print squares and a 6" border. This pattern also uses only one light print fabric, a dark plain fabric and white fabric. A quilt made using this pattern might look like this-

Tomorrow-New Jersey Rose