Block of the Week? It's Been Done Before

How do I chose a block of the week to share?  I usually select something from one of the (many) projects I am currently working on. Today I was pondering which block to do today, perhaps something from my Kansas City Star CD-Rom. There are hundreds to chose from in the KCS collection, after all they published one block a week for years and years .....

Eureka! It was a light bulb moment for me.  All I had to do was chose a block published this week, just a few years earlier.  As it is now 2019, I went back to 1929, ninety years ago, to see what was the block of choice for this week. 

Monkey Wrench

Another Monkey Wrench

Also a Monkey Wrench

Back to the Kansas City Star.  Here is Monkey Wrench, January 16th, 1929.

This quilt is one of the best examples of how an exceedingly simple block may be set together into an intricate pattern.  Pieced blocks of squares and triangles cut from the given patterns and pieced as shown, alternate with 10-inch plain blocks, dark in one row and light in another.  It really isn't hard to do, although each "monkey wrench" must be turned at a certain angle, as the diagram indicates.  Make cardboard cutting patterns a seam larger than the four patterns here given.  Mark around each with a lead pencil and cut a seam larger, sewing back to the pencil lines.

This block really works well as an allover pattern.  But I would need more than a week for that.

A Churn Dash by Any Other Name

Everyone loves a Churn Dash.  It's been around forever - mid 1800s - it's simple to piece and it's good design.  A popular block that has been used for over century collects a catalogue of names; Barbara Brackman lists the following:

Broken Plate

Double Monkey Wrench

Double T

Fisherman's Reel

Hens and Chickens

Hole in the Barn Door

Indian Hammer

Joan's Doll Quilt

Lincoln's Platform

Love Knot

Ludlow's Favorite

Monkey Wrench

Old Mill Design

Picture Frame

Puss in the Corner

Quail's Nest

Sheman's March

Shoo Fly

Colonial Design

There are two Churn Dash blocks in the Malaga Quilt.  

Maggie Shaw

Lorena Ray

Maggie's block is an equal nine patch. Lorena's block has a small center block so the nine patches are uneven.  Both variations appear in old and new quilts. Maggie's is easy to make as a finished 6 inch or 9 inch block; Lorena's comes out as a 10 inch if the center is two inches.

Free pattern from Quilter's Cache.

Free pattern for both blocks and suggested layouts. 

These blocks are all antique. The middle one in the top row has a piece of paper attached that says George Kennedy; George never did get his name written on his block.

I also found this collection.  There aren't antique because I made them, but they have been on the shelf for so long they are close to vintage.

According to other bloggers, this block is called Churn Dash because "its name is a result of the resemblance of the triangle and rectangle perimeter of the block to a butter churn and the center square to the stick or dash of the butter churn."  

I don't see it myself.  Google "butter churn dashers" and select images - if you find one that looks like the quilt block I'd love to know.