Martha Washington Star quilt block

Martha Washington Star

June 28, 1933-The Martha Washington Star quilt block was designed in colonial times to honor President George Washington's wife.

Nancy Cabot wrote, "The old examples of the design were pieced in the turkey reds so popular at the time, but any color scheme may be used."

She sold her Martha Washington Star quilt pattern for "5 cents in stamps or coins" as she did all her patterns to this date. Payment was to be sent to the Chicago Tribune where she wrote her daily column.







 

This is an easy block to make.  There are just three basic parts that you need four each of as shown in the photo at the right.

To make this 6" block, just follow the Martha Washington Star block tutorial at Emily's Homestead. The cutting and directions are correct but in the center pinwheel, the red and white fabrics are switched.  This appears to be a more common arrangement than the version Nancy Cabot presented.  I arranged my pinwheel Nancy's way.

I put my block together in rows like this-






There is an antique red, white a blue version of a Martha Washington Star quilt here and another version shown below from the Quilter's Cache.

Here's a two color Martha Washington Star quilt from Quilt Guy-

The pattern for this block can be found in Electric Quilt's Blockbase  program as #2147.

Tomorrow-Narcissus