We’ve made it to the final block! This quilt has been fun and surprising when it comes to the choice of blocks. Did you get inspired to make an alphabet quilt? Or are you like me and put it on your project wish list?
Block #24 ~ “YOU”
There were still three letters in the alphabet, X, Y, Z. Had Nancy used them all she would have had an uneven number of blocks in her quilt. The quilt had been planned to have six rows of blocks with four-letter blocks in each row, making 24 blocks.
In talking it over with the other club members they decided to use only the “Y”.
Of course, the three letters could have been put on the same block. But Nancy had another scheme.
“Why not let the ‘Y’ stand for ‘you’ the person who is going to get the quilt? In my case it would stand for Joan since it is for her that I am making the quilt.
Then I plan to write her name at the bottom left hand of the block. That will identify it as hers in years to come. I hope, you know, that she will like it well enough to keep it and pass it on to her children’s children.
“Then in the right-hand corner I am going to put my initials and the year in which I finished the quilt. So often on looking at odd quilts we have wished that we knew just when they were made. In this way I’d identify the owner, the maker and the year.
“Grace Roberts, who is making the quilt for her daughter Clarice, will write, ‘Clarice Roberts’ in the left-hand corner bottom. Then in the right she will put over her initials, G D R and 30 for the year 1930. The Y O U in the block itself stands for the child whose name is at the bottom left. As her mother shows it to her, she will say, ‘this block is for you, here’s your name, Clarice Roberts.'”
The group liked the idea and saw justs how it worked.
A square of white gingham 6-1/2 inches in size, was cut and laid over the paper pattern. By holding the two against the window pane it was possible to trace the letters “YOU.” When these were traced the work was nearly done.
Fine outline or chain stitch were used to work the letters. Then the child’s or recipient’s name was written by each person in the lower left hand of the block and the maker’s own initials were put in lower right hand. The date was added.
These names and dates were worked in fine running stitch.
Now the blocks were ready to be put together. All blocks were given a final pressing.
They were put in place, following the diagram given in the instruction leaflet which may be had at no cost by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the paper and asking for the leaflet. Perhaps you sent for it earlier. An interlining may be used. In that case it will be wise to tie the top and bottom at intervals, say at the four corners of each embroidered block.
Or a running scroll or simple vine may be quilted the full length of the colored strips which put the blocks together.
The quilt is a joy to behold when finished, worthy of being a real heirloom.
The club members were really sorry to see the work come to an end.
“Nancy Page Quilt Club, Block #24, “YOU”” Newspapers.com, Edmonton Journal, April 7, 1930, https://www.newspapers.com/article/edmonton-journal-nancy-page-quilt-club/160166177/
If you’d like to purchase all of the alphabet quilt blocks as a block-of-the-month-club, you can do that here. This is NOT an affiliate link.
The Garden Bouquet Quilt starts with next post! :0)
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