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Mariners Compass – Queen

$835.00

Meausures 98 x 115

The Mariner’s Compass Quilt originates from one of the earliest quilt designs in America. The patchwork quilt pattern is composed of the thirty-two precise points of the compass, with the stars radiating from the center. Partial compasses surround the entire quilt and complement the pillow head. This Mariner’s Compass Quilt is hand-quilted by one Amish or Mennonite woman, ensuring even stitches.

Homemade quilts combine the warmth of a bed cover with a unique story told by the quilters from Lancaster County, PA. Every homemade quilt is as unique as the family, busy mother or Amish ladies group who uses a needle and thimble to thread stitch on the quilt. Some quilts involve hundreds of hours and thousands of stitches to create a unique patchwork quilt that will last for generations.

When you peruse our HOMEMADE QUILTS you are shopping for an item that tells a story and adds meaning to your bedroom! Discover more about our unique patchwork quilts and the stories behind them

We have a lot of quilts! Want to see a gallery of the major patterns? Checkout our Common Amish Quilt Patterns.

Mariner’s Compass Quilts for Sale: Handmade by the Amish of Lancaster County

We employ local craftspeople to design, piece, and quilt these works of art. Each quilt is entirely handmade, from cutting the quilt blocks to binding the edges of the quilt. We bring together artisans for different steps of the process–one sews the quilt top; others stitch it together; and still another finishes the edges. Every part of the process recalls the way quilts have been made for centuries.

mariner's compass quilt made by the amish of lancaster county

One of our Mariner's Compass Quilts

heart and center of mariner's compass quilt

The Striking Compass Design

beautiful front and back of mariner's compass quilt

Front and Back of a Mariner's Compass Quilt

Connecting the Past and Present: The Mariner’s Compass Quilts Legacy

While most early quilts were simple, the Mariner’s Compass quilt was complex, and often was reserved for special occasions.

The Mariner’s Compass quilt pattern has been known and loved among dedicated quilters, only the best of whom could manage the intricacies of stitching the precise points of the compass or star, as it was variously known. While most early quilts were simple, the Mariner’s Compass quilt was complex, and often was reserved for special occasions.

While other patterns may suggest a star pattern, the Mariner’s Compass name specifically refers to quilts in which the star radiates from a circular center. The roots of this pattern are hard to trace. Barbara Brackman writes of the many names used for this pattern, including The Explosion, the Merry Go Round, the Rolling Pinwheel, the Slashed Star–even Chips and Whetstones. Each name suggests what quilters saw as they stitched their quilt tops!

Quilt pattern books began to use the Mariner’s Compass name, widely accepted today, around the 1960s; its first published use was in 1929. Various historians, knowing the pattern’s popularity in the American northeast, have suggested that seafaring folk saw the compass rose on nautical maps and reproduced it on their blankets. The Pennsylvania Germans picked it up, adding brighter colors and patterns.

Mariner's Compass in a Wall Hanging

classic red mariner's compass quilt

Red is a Classic Fit for Mariner's Compass

The Intricate Mariner's Compass

Did you know?

Over the centuries, quite a few solutions have been perfected to make it easier for quilters to piece multi-angled quilts together. One of these procedures is named paper piecing, which is generally adopted to assemble the elaborate edges of the Mariner's Compass quilt. Paper piecing, as it title specifies, uses a specific paper pattern onto which the fabric sections are stitched. The pattern guides the seamstress to accurately stitch the pieces together so that the finalized top will lay out flat. Tactics such as this are a wonderful help to our quilters!

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Welcome to Family Farm Handcrafts! Quilt making is an iconic representation of the Amish way of life, where working with their hands is highly valued. All items in our store are hand-stitched or handmade.

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