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Love the cascading pattern of a tumbling blocks quilt? We do, too! The artfully arranged light and dark diamonds appear to be cubes stacked in vivid three-dimensional lines. Piecing tumbling blocks quilts remains among quilters’ favorite challenges, arranging the colors to form the elusive blocks and sewing the sharp-toothed diamonds together.
The Tumbling Blocks quilt is one of the earliest quilt patterns, featuring geometric forms of light and dark that tumble across the quilt. The design is cleverly constructed to appear three-dimensional. These quilts, with their varied colors and fabrics, are reminiscent of colonial times when housewives saved every scrap of fabric that came into their homes and then used those scraps to make quilts.
The Tumbling Blocks quilt design has become popular here in “Amish Country.” Each handmade quilt with a scalloped border is all hand-quilted by one Amish seamstress to ensure uniform stitches.
A Classic Tumbling Blocks Quilt
Closeup of the Cascading Pattern
Front and Back of a Tumbling Blocks Quilt
The optical illusion of the tumbling blocks pattern has been used as far back as ancient Greece and Renaissance Europe in tiling floors or weaving fabric. Quilters at least as far back as the 19th century picked up the template and learned how to incorporate it into lovely bedspreads. It has been popular in America since the 1850s.
Oral history about the tumbling blocks quilts suggest the pattern may have been used on the Underground Railroad, Jacqueline Tobin and Raymond Dobard found. They write that this pattern, also known as the tumbling boxes pattern, may have signaled to slaves when it was time to pack up their boxes and move on. While historians debate the claim, it’s intriguing to think this homespun art may have been part of bringing freedom.
We also know that at least two American presidents, Calvin Coolidge and Dwight Eisenhower, sewed tumbling blocks quilts when they were young boys. While they may not have counted these among their finest deeds, the discipline they developed in stitching this demanding pattern no doubt served them well later!
Colorful Tumbling Blocks Quilts
The Memorizing Effect of a Tumbling Block Quilt Pattern
Black & White Tumbling Blocks Quilt
Family Farm Handcrafts uses close to 200 Amish as well as Mennonite ladies to produce quilts for our store.
I love my purple Lone Star Quilt…it was a big investment for me! I bought a Twin size that was listed as fitting a Queen and it did (using my ruffle). Thank you for having accurate measurements and good photos AND updated notes on availability. I found one a couple of years ago on another site out in PA and I ordered it and my card was charged. Then, I was called to say it wasn’t available and would be 6 months if I wanted it made. Your emails were great and was surprised by the fast delivery. PS. My grandma made lots of quilts – log cabin, lone star and many others about 25+ years ago….your quality is on par with hers.
I just couldn’t leave Pennsylvania’s Amish Country without taking home a hand-quilted quilt from Family Farm Quilts. I looked through at least 50 options before deciding on this gorgeous Surf Song design.
I think it’s absolutely perfect in every way! <3
Thanks! The quilt is gorgeous and we cherish it.
I really love this quilt. I have such a great appreciation for all the work that went into the making.
I can’t begin to express our joy when we received our spin star quilt. It is absolutely gorgeous! Please forward our gratitude to Verna Miller for all the time and effort she put into making our beautiful quilt. We will cherish it always!
My husband loves the ocean, we live 1 hour away, so I bought this quilt “for him”. Our bedroom has several nautical items in it and is painted a sea foam blue. We love it and we pray for the quilter of the Sailor’s compass quilt nightly.
We LOVE our quilt. What could be better than a hand-made heart quilt for Valentine’s Day. It will come out of the closet in a couple weeks or so and I’ll send a picture. Thanks.
We absolutely LOVE our quilt!!! In fact, I have gone back to your site multiple times to see if I could find accent pillows and/or curtains to match!
Yes we absolutely love our quilt and use it daily. It was bought as a Christmas present to ourselves.
This is the second quilt our family has purchased from your store since August. We remain amazed at the craftsmanship of the finished product. These are absolutely works of art. And to have them initialed/dated on the quilt itself means so much to us as well as knowing the name of the quilter. We will definitely recommend your shop to others that are looking for beautiful quality products.
I love my new quilt. The colors are so pretty! Thank you all so much. I know there are a lot of hours spent on it. ?
We used one of the two quilts for our guest room.
I hand the privilege of contacting Family Farm Handcrafts inquiring about a King Size Quilt. I first talked with a young lady by the name of Regina , who went out of her way to help me, which encouraged me and I did not look any further on the web to purchase. A few days later, I had the privilege of talking with Katie, who , although she did not have what I was looking for In her shop, went out of her way to help me come up with The Spin Star Quilt, in the colors I was looking for and in no time, this beautiful quilt was on its way to my daughter, who absolutely loved the quilt! Not only was the quilt beautiful, the price was great also! I guarantee you if you are in the market for a beautiful Amish quilt, hand made and at a beautiful price, plus they have someone who can make curtains or valances to match, you will want to contact Katie at Family Farm Handcrafts in East Earl Pa, near Lancaster, Pa. God Bless You Katie and may your business prosper!
