Aerial Beacon/ Lighthouse

 Aerial beacon or lighthouse is an octagonal block

See here for the history from Early Womens Net

More Octagonal Blocks

Acrobats

 Acrobats is an example of a sashed nine patch block.

See early womens net here for history

Acorns

Acorns is an example of a four patch block.  It needs to be set edge to edge for the all over pattern to appear, this kind of pattern is called tessellating pattern.

History can be found here at early womens net

Pudding and Pie

 Pudding and Pie is an example of tessellating four patch pattern, this time with three colours.  It needs to be set edge to edge with no sashing for the pattern to appear.

The history can be found here at early womens net

Butterfly in the garden - A quilt block using Drunkard's Path subunits

Butterfly in the garden is a traditional quilt block that uses whole squares and Drunkard's Path blocks as its subunits.

It is a very large block when completed as it constructed from four quarters that are each a nine patches - meaning the final block is a 6 x 6 grid, given the curved piecing on the Drunkard's Path pieces it is not easy to make this block if your grid unit is a small one!  The pattern relies on the placement of the whole square to make the body of the butterfly.  Unlike most other arrangements of Drunkard's Path it uses 3 colours to make the design.

Drunkard's Garden -a Drunkard's Path Setting

 

Drunkards Garden

Another way to set the Drunkard's Path block to make a medallion using an even number of blocks.  This time it uses 64 blocks in an 8 x 8 arrangement,  The pattern relies on good contrast between the "positive" blocks and "negative" blocks but there is of course no reason why this should only be limited to two colours as shown in the picture above and it could not be made with scrappy colours.  Once again use the medallion as is for a wall hanging for example, make it bigger with borders and frames or finish the sequence by adding rounds following the pattern started here.

DEVILS PUZZLE -an example of a Drunkard's Path block setting

I finally plucked up the courage to use the Accuquilt Drunkard's Path die which was my Christmas present to myself two years ago.  Curved piecing!  How many times are we told it is difficult - fabric stretches over curves, well it certainly put me off but I had promised Nancy and Barry a Drunkard's Path border for the Big Bear appliqued quilt which I making for their new camper van.  

I was so pleased when I managed it- lots of pins and go slowly turns out to be the key :)

Now having cracked that particular puzzle I started looking for ideas on how to use them came across this on the Early Women Masters.Net site, it has hundreds of patterns - including some for Nancy Cabot blocks for a sampler quilt I am going to design one day; you know, when I get time with the 7 unfinished quilt tops and 10 other UFO's I have on the go and counting!

There are even links to other Drunkard's Path layouts on the bottom of the Devils Puzzle page - or go to the A-Z for hundred's of others.

Devils Puzzle uses 36 Drunkard's Path blocks - 18 negative 18 positive to create a medallion.  It is unusual for an even number of blocks to create a central focal point but this is achieved by the secondary pattern of the quarter circle in the centre. It would make a great focal point of a medallion quilt by adding frames or borders, or make your own variation by adding more "rounds" following the sequence started by this centrepiece.  

Too many ideas - must go and get paper and pencil....