Antebellum Albums: A Sampler of Samplers

From the Massachusetts project & the Quilt Index

Each month I post an antique sampler or two with the monthly block.

From an online auction in 2002

I chose the twelve blocks in this years B.O.M. from my files of pictures of signature sampler quilts with pieced blocks.

From the Oxford Female Academy in Chester County, Pennsylvania,

Collection of the Chester County Historical Society

 I have a lot larger file of antebellum albums that are predominantly appliqued---but pieced is the theme.

I picked twelve pieced blocks that I saw with some frequency, ignoring the

quirky blocks that seem one of a kind.

Quilt from the Robbins family dated 1842-1843, Gloucester County,

New Jersey project & the Quilt Index.

Although quirky blocks would be a great topic for a B.O.M.

Quilt for Sophia Blake Sawyer,

Collection of Historic New England

No spirals, ever!

I didn't choose popular blocks that required show-off piecing either.

Quilt from the Sykes family, New Jersey, DAR Museum

http://www.quiltindex.org/basicdisplay.php?kid=46-7A-FC

Although show-off piecing would also be a good B.O.M

Tried to keep the set-in seams (Y-seams) to a minimum.

From the Massachusetts project & the Quilt Index

A B.O.M. with all Y-seam blocks might be good

for personal growth but probably not going to have a lot

of stitchers quilting along.

For George Washington Reed, 1846, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

from a Bonham's auction

Section of a quilt shown in the Baltimore Sun

from their morgue.

So be aware I am looking out for you in choosing

the twelve blocks. 

Requirements:

1) Popular in pieced samplers.

2) Not so hard that there is crying involved.

(either for me in drawing the pattern or you in piecing the block)