QUILTS & FABRIC: PAST & PRESENT


Friday, September 30, 2022

Southern Spin #7 Brave Sunflower

 

Brave Sunflower by Denniele Bohannon

Last month's Sunflower with 9 petals was just practice for this month's with 16.

The block (#3480) was published several times in the Kansas City Star, once as A Brave Sunflower. Did that mean you had to be brave to try it?


Oklahoma Sunburst, published in 1934
Print on an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet. See the inch square for scale.


The pattern dates back to the 1830s. It seems that quiltmakers all over the small United States showed off their skills with sunflower variations but after 1870 or so Southern seamstresses continued to challenge themselves, while Northerners went on to other styles. The one above dated 1885 according to the Texas project.

Mid-20th-century.  15 petals.

Mid 19th---9 petals
Saw this one for sale at the New England Quilt Museum shop
a few weeks ago. Northern Spin.



1 comment:

  1. I made one of these when I was working on your Grandmother's Choice BOM a few years ago (top is done, still needs quilting and binding) and the only way I could make it work was freezer paper templates and hand piece it. So in my admittedly small experience, yes one needs to be brave to make this block.

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