Churn Dash Quilt Block History

The basic churn dash quilt block can be divided into 9 equal square units.

Churn dash quilt block history.

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. The churn dash quilt which has several other names is a distinctly american quilt block with a long history that stretches back to pioneer days and wagon trains. It makes a great block for quilting bee and guild exchanges quick to whip up at the last minute if needed because of its simplicity. Try this churn dash quilt block pattern if you re looking for a traditional patchwork design for your next quilting project.

Churn dash the homesteader s life and their daily activities contributed names to many quilt blocks. It s a very old pattern that dates back to the early 19th century. The churn dash block also has many other names. The churn dash quilt block is a traditional block that has been around for over 150 years.

Choose batiks and other similar quilting fabrics to give churn dash a more contemporary look. In that case other names were given to the. It is a 9 patch block meaning there are 9 sections of construction. The churn dash is a very old 9 patch quilt block pattern originating between 1800 and 1849.

Churn dash quilt block tutorial. Nineteenth century quilts reflect what women saw around them and what was important in their lives such as the churn a common household item. Since the block was thought to resemble a butter churn with the middle square representing the dash the stick that churns the butter the name churn dash was readily adopted. Like many traditional blocks from the 19th century the pattern was shared among women on isolated homesteads but not always shared with a name.

The four corners are half square triangles with each unit in between split into contrast colored rectangles. Half square triangles hst 4 at a time. Iron your fabrics nice and flat to remove any and all wrinkles. Dating back as early as the mid 1800s the churn dash block was created by women and girls traveling west and was inspired by everyday objects in their lives specifically the butter churn.

The churn dash quilt was one of the first patterns many young girls learned in the 1800s because it s straight up triangles rectangles and squares. In this article you will learn how to piece a 12 finished churn dash quilt block. Work with any fabrics that suit you even reproductions from past eras are perfect for this quilt block. The churn dash quilt block is an old favorite.