Circles & Spikes
Georgia auction
Tennessee project, Betsy Parker
?
Alabama, Flavin Glover's family
There's a certain appealing style of quilt. We've seen a lot of them on our
Facebook group QuiltHistorySouth.
Defined in Teddy Pruett's chapter in Mary Kerr's Southern Quilts as "Circles & Spikes."
Texas auction
These wheel patterns require some skill ("Not for the faint of heart," says Teddy)
and I have been struck, as Teddy has, by the contrast between skill and ambition.
Ken Burns's Collection
Not exactly precision piecing.
Julie Silber's Inventory
Similar pattern
Georgia seller, Etsy
Thread count was rather low and colors rather limited, yet the stitchers were remarkably creative within
a narrow palette of primary solids.
Hermann, Missouri
Stella Rubin's Inventory
And even when the blues and greens faded to gray they still look good.
Texas auction
Stephens County, Georgia
Florida, Maria Theius
The style thrived in the South between about 1880 and 1930 and then faded away.
Shown at Houston years ago
North Carolina auction
But there is no reason we can't revive it. Well, those of us who can piece precisely. My job is to give you patterns and offer color and setting advice.
Florida, Mrs. Cox
North Carolina project
It will be the job of our skilled model makers like Becky Brown to
actually sew.
Georgia, Elizabeth Salter Smith, National Museum
of American History
Arkansas, exhibit at the Old State House Museum
Looking for a challenge?
I'll post a pattern once a month here from March through November: Nine Hard-to-Piece Circles & Spikes. Look for the monthly pattern on the last day of the month.
echo the primaries with some approximating the faded glories.
The Official Set = 60" x 60"
The patterns are drawn to finish to 14" so they fit on an 8-1/2 x 11"
sheet of paper. The sash, a triple strip & 9-patch, finishes to 4-1/2" wide.
You may want to make bigger blocks. I am giving you the BlockBase numbers
so if you have that computer program you can print the blocks any size.
Typical Tri-Color Scheme
Teal, red and chrome orange
Teal, red and chrome orange
First pattern March 31st.
New Facebook Group: SouthernSpinQuilt
It's a public group so you don't have to join.
Post pictures etc.
And you can buy all 9 patterns right now in my Etsy shop for $12.