Q8969 Wool Challis Log Cabin Barn Raising Diagonal Bar

c.1860
85 x 85 inches
Pennsylvania
$4,600

Many of my very favorite quilts are made from wool challis. This Wool Challis Log Cabin Barn Raising with a Diagonal Bar or piano key border measures 85 x 85 inches and was created prior to 1860. The pattern was constructed from 9-1/2 inch square blocks comprised of logs measuring approximately 1-1/8 inches in width and of various lengths. The 5-3/4 inch border is beautifully executed using a piano key diagonal bar pattern. The outside edge of the border has a 3/8 inch hand-applied binding.

Most unusual for a quilt of this age is the fact that the quilt squares were assembled by machine. The bars overlap on the border and the blocks are used in a design where you don’t see any of the stitching on the front of the quilt, only on the back. The center four patch of each block, also known as a chimney, measures 1-1/2 inches square. The chimneys are comprised of four tiny squares, two red and two blue. Usually when you see a blue center square on a log cabin it signifies that the home is a safe house for runaway slaves. The date of this quilt works for that, however, I can’t definitively attest to that fact. This quilt would fit perfectly on a queen or double sized bed or become a dynamite piece of art for your wall. The color palate is seen in many Pennsylvania quilts. In unused condition, ready for your home.