McKim Monday

Mohawk Trail Quilt Top by Irene S., Germansville, PA

"Patchwork Parade of States" quilt patterns were among the many syndicated patterns McKim produced.  This series appeared in the 1930s.  

I was fortunate to find a quilt top with this pattern a few months ago at a local auction.  The instructions provided insight to what I studied on the top.   In the pattern, McKim instructs:
"the three print cones may be run together on the machine, and the finished squares set together this way, but the curved seams that joins the pieced fan into be curved white block is most easily done by hand."

On my top, the trail is both machine and hand pieced.  

This pattern was meant to celebrate New York state .  Unfortunately, I don't have a quilt with the Philadelphia Patch that McKim published to celebrate Pennsylvania.  However, this piece was made by a local woman.

Irene S. made the top and was from Germansville--a small rural community in northern Lehigh County.  For those of you who are not from the area, "Germansville" is pronounced not like Germans-ville but with a "G"  prounounced like "girl".

Of interest on this top is that Irene chose to applique the trail atop the block which would have been a much easier way to complete the top.  Her basting stitches are still visible because she never completed the piece.

I hope to be able to complete her work (someday) because I love the cheerful 1930 pastels and the work that Irene put into the top.

Happy McKim Monday and have a wonderful day!