QuiltingCoach Penny

Quilts with Diamonds

The diamond was a special favorite in New England for use in making "best quilts." Almost always the quilting on diamond quilts was more elaborate and painstaking than that on square or triangle patches.

The reason was that cutting and piecing diamonds was undertaken only when there was no pressing need for bed quilts, because it took so long that by the time the quilt was complete, the quiltmaker had so much time and love invested in the quilt, it called for nothing less than the best quilting.

Because these quilts were so special, they were generally not used as bed quilts, so many of them are in very good condition for their age.

The most easily cut diamond patch is one that divides the patch into eight diamonds, and is commonly known as the Star of LeMoyne. Quiltmakers did not sit down with their compass, ruler and pencil to draft this star block, but instead created the pattern pieces by folding a square of cloth in a prescribed fashion and then cutting along the fold lines.

This created finished size template pieces that the quiltmaker could use to place on the fabric she used in her quilt. She simply placed the fabric template on the quilt fabric, added the seam allowance and then cut around the template to make her patch.

Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren
TheQuiltingCoach