“When life gives you scraps make quilts”.
Quilters are an interesting lot. Generally they love home and hearth, family, their heritage, children and the natural world. Most of all they are cuckoo for fabulous fabric that comes in amazing colors, patterns and designs.
According to quilt expert Laurette Carroll "The first known quilt pattern published in an American periodical was the honeycomb or hexagon pattern published by the Godey’s Lady’s Book in 1835. While we know that some early periodicals like Godey’s, featured patterns for quilt making they seldom gave names to these patterns, when describing a quilt or giving directions for making them. When they were named however, the names were usually descriptions, like the previously mentioned honeycomb (hexagons) pattern, and very often they were simply named “Patchwork”."
She goes on to say, "Biblical and Spiritual names include Job’s Tears, Hosanna, Palm Leaf, Bethlehem Star, Cathedral Window, Cross and Crown, Crown of Thorns, and those already mentioned Garden of Eden, Jacobs Ladder, and Josephs Coat, among many others.
Patterns that reflect Pride in our Nation and politics are, Abe Lincoln’s Log Cabin, Burgoyne Surrounded, Capital T and Goblet (both temperance quilts), Dolly Madison’s Star, Railroad Crossing, Harrison Rose, President’s Wreath, Columbia, Martha Washington Star, Fifty-Four Forty or Fight, and even a Daniel Boone quilt.Names that reflect Home Life are Broken Dishes, Cake Stand, Basket, Attic Windows, Baby Blocks, Tumbling Blocks, Puss in the Corner, Chimney Sweep, Dove in the Window, and Dresden Plate.
Farm life is also included with names like Hole in the Barn Door, Shoo Fly, Anvil, Broken Wheel, Carpenter’s Wheel, Windmill, Hen and Chicks, Churn Dash, Corn and Beans, Melon Patch, and Rail Fence.
Patterns with romantic names are abundant with patterns called Hopes and Wishes, Double Wedding Ring, Grandmother’s Engagement Ring, Cupid’s Own, Lover’s Knot, and even Lover’s Quarrel.
Names that reflect the Great Outdoors or Gardening are Pine Tree, Autumn Leaves, Bears Paw, Maple Leaf, Birds in the Air, Blazing Star, Butterfly, Honey Bee, Clamshell, and Turkey Tracks. Almost every kind of flower is included with patterns like Tulips, Astor, Sunflower, Morning Glory and Black Eyed Susan.
Family Life is reflected with these names, Freedom Quilt (given to a young man when he reached 21), Neck Tie or Bow Tie, Bachelors Puzzle, Old Maids Puzzle, Grandmothers Fan, and Baby Bunting.
Aunts were memorialized with a number of names. Aunt Sukey’s Choice, Aunt Dinah’s Star, Aunt Em’s Pattern, Aunt Lucinda’s Block, Aunt Patty’s Favorite are only a few.
Some patterns were named after Cities or States, with patterns like Boston Pavement, St. Louis Star, California Rose, New York Beauty, Carolina Lily, Ohio Star, Washington Pavement, and Arkansas Traveler. Every state has at least one pattern, and many have several."At Mary Jo's we have worked very hard to provide fellow quilters with fabric that has the colors, patterns and textures you need to carry out your passionate work.
At our store we welcome Quilters by the tour bus load almost daily.
Keeping our prices low and our selection extraordinary is the goal at Mary Jo's Cloth Store. We carry popular Quilting Fabric lines by Robert Kaufman and Quilting Treasures to name a few. You can also find historic styles of fabric in the prints/patterns and colors you are looking for. Our expert staff is very knowledgeable, some of our employees have worked in our quilting department for decades. We always want to make sure you are not only finding what you need but we can usually give you a few helpful hints along the way.
