Queen's Parasol

#1541.5

Among the dozens of new blocks in the new Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns

is this show-off pieced block:

Queen's Parasol. Twelve seams meeting in the middle.

It's in the category Four Patch with Curves

Workbasket magazine published the pattern in June, 1940, long before Queen Elizabeth thought about parachute jumping to open the Olympics.

(Conspiracy theorists---You are right; that is NOT the real Queen.)

As I recall Workbasket, a small inexpensive and quite popular magazine,

had a centerfold quilt pattern each issue.

It was published in Kansas City, had once been a periodical from Aunt Martha patterns, but they sold the magazine in the 1940s. I interviewed a few people from the magazine and the pattern company 40 years ago and they told me they liked to design new patterns as they worried about copyright issues.

I haven't any photos of any quilts made in the pattern. The closest is pretty tame compared to Queen's Parasol.

Sometimes you get the feeling the Workbasket designers didn't

consider all the angles when planning for actual sewing.

12 seams in the center.

There is no reason you couldn't applique a dot over those 12 seams.

Because it is in the Encyclopedia 3rd edition it is also in BlockBase+.

You would want to piece this template style. Christine at EQ shows you

how to print templates here:

https://doyoueq.com/blog/2021/03/blockbase-top-ten-4-print-templates

I printed a 9" pattern so everything would

fit on one sheet of paper.

I manipulate the pattern pieces to get them onto one sheet

with that blue arrow at the top right.

The I grab a screen shot and fit it onto an 8-1/2" x 11" inch jpg.

When I talk about templates I have always meant paper shapes that one could trace onto plastic sheeting. But now in the 21st Century EQ tells me you can actually print 3-D plastic templates if you have a 3-D printer. See the blog post here:

https://doyoueq.com/blog/2021/03/3d-printing-with-blockbase/

"The ability to export SVG files is one of the best features of BlockBase+ and it’s so exciting to learn the creative ways it can be used!" they tell me. Note to self: 

Find out what SVG files are. Buy 3-D Printer.

A couple of websites have Workbasket's back issues online:

http://www.somethingunderthebed.com/CURTAIN/REVIEWSmags/WORKBASKET1960s.html

https://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/html/warm/workbasket.htm

And a little history:

http://theknittershand.homestead.com/Workbaskets.html