Pinweel Passion

Cheater cloth pinwheel quilt from about 1960-1980

I'm spending my time thinking about quilt pattern in two periods---1812 and 1970.

One would guess that these eras have little in common but they are remarkably alike in the popularity of  the Pinwheel/ Broken Dishes design.

Penn's Treaty Quilt in the collection of the

Mount Vernon Ladies' Association

For her late 18th-century medallion The Penn's Treaty Quilt Martha Washington pieced some giant pinwheels in the final border.

Quilt dated 1965

AQSG Medallion by Georgann Eglinski,

Bobbi Finley, Carol Jones and Judy Severson, 2009.

A collaborative early-19th century reproduction to benefit the

American Quilt Study Group

Pinwheels are a good choice for a reproduction whether it's early-19th century you are looking to recall or the early 1970s

The pinwheel was so popular in the 1960s-70s that it was a standard cheater cloth print.

Made into clothing

And quilts!

When I taught quilting in the 1970s students eager to learn the basics of patchwork would often bring a piece of this print to the first class, hoping to cut it up and piece a block.

See some more pinwheel quilts from the mid-20th century at these links.

Willy Wonky's been buying antiques from the era.

http://willywonkyquilts.blogspot.com/2011/10/two-70s-pinwheel-quilts.html

This one's for sale on Etsy from Cranes Quilts

http://www.etsy.com/listing/40330016/scrappy-pinwheels-quilt?ref=sr_gallery_25&ga_includes%5B0%5D=tags&ga_search_query=pinwheel+patchwork&ga_search_type=all&ga_facet=

And see some reproductions here:

http://pursuitofquilts.blogspot.com/2011/10/concord-cranston-and-peter-pan.html

A Happy 70s Baby Quilt made from the Sand Pebbles pattern
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bellgirl/galleries/72157625249934888

The Sand Pebbles from Cherry House Quilts would look great in my Old Fashioned Calicoes fabrics.

http://lizzyhouse.typepad.com/cherry_house_quilts/2010/07/sand-pebbles-quilt-pattern-now-available.html

And read more about Martha Washington's quilt at this post
http://quilt1812warandpiecing.blogspot.com/2011/10/martha-washingtons-penns-treaty-quilt.html

Here's a rayon pinwheel comforter

with a cheater cloth backing.