The Sugar Camp Quilt
by Jennifer Chiaverini
Chiaverini writes novels with quilt themes and as she says on a web page that she likes to make a quilt like the one her character has made in the novel. This album quilt is one of her fictional creations.
It's a good interpretation of a period album quilt, a style and pattern that might have
been made during the Civil War.
Jennifer and I have both written books
for C&T Publishing so she got my signature at a book signing event a few years ago.
Jennifer made the block---I signed it.
1864, Hazel Green, Wisconsin
I post occasionally about authentic quilts made during the War and this pattern comes up often.
Quilt made about 1865-66
in Saugerties, New York
1865, Orleans County, New York
Private Collection
GAR quilt 1867
from the Clara Barton Museum
BlockBase # 3266
Several variations of the pattern are indexed in my BlockBase program for PC's. This one was
published as Chimney Sweep by Ruth Finley in 1929.
The Shelburne Museum has an example they call Christian Cross.
The generic name would be Album pattern.
Quilters used several different arrangements of the pattern pieces to get the effect.
Here's the most common version from the Wisconsin quilt with
a free quilt pattern below:
Cutting a 12" Block
A - Cut 2 white squares 2-3/8". Cut each in half diagonally to make 2 triangles. You need 4.
B- Cut three white squares 4-1/4". Cut each into four triangles with 2 cuts. You need 12.
C- Cut 2 white and 8 print squares 2-5/8".
D -Cut 1 white and 4 print rectangles 2-5/8" x 6-7/8".
Sewing
I am pleased to be included in Jennifer's author/quiltmaker album quilt.
Here's Sue Grafton's signature from that quilt.
http://elmcreek.net/gallery/quilts/authors-album-quilt
Below, some more mid-century versions of the pattern for color and print ideas.
The dates are on the blocks. Some may have been set together later. Many are from on-line auctions.
1848 Connecticut
1848
1849
Wisconsin State Historical Society
1852 Harrison County, Ohio
1855 Collection of the Brooklyn Museum
1856 Gallatin, New York
A silk version dated 1867-68
from Mississippi
Personally, I think the blocks would look good in my new Civil War Jubilee prints.
97" x 97"
Sort of like this EQ7 sketch:
25 blocks finishing to 12",
Set on point with 3" sashing and cornerstones,
6" border.
6 comments:
I have a Christian cross quilt nearly finished I'm quilting it now. Actually it may be named Washington's Pavement, so maybe it is a variation, it doesn't have siggy's on it. I varied the placement of the medium and dark values and it almost looks like hugs and kisses. XoXo
I have always love cross style quilts and these are some beautiful examples. I think anything would look good in your new prints.
Debbie
I have never made a cross quilt but I would like to make this X quilt. It appeals to me a great deal. Thank you very much for your pattern. I would like you to know that this blog is a real favorite of mine. I love your history in quilts! Thank you for your hard work and for your patterns. You are certainly appreciated.
Judith--I enjoy doing it and I'm glad to know you are reading it.
Make this quilt!
I love signature quilts, and these that you show are lovely.
Barbara, do you know what they used to sign the quilts back then (100-150 yrs ago) ? It looks to have held up really well.
In the Day, there were professional graphists who would sign a person's name, should they wish. I guess they had a particularly good hand. They were signed in ink and often embroidered over. I have seen one recently where most of the ink has faded or eaten through the fabric due to chemical reaction over time.
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