"From Aunt Pitty Pat's Porch..." is a recurring column on theQuilterCommunity.com. Check back next month for volume 5 and Aunt Pitty Pat's views on Internet Block Exchanges....

Hello! Yes, my dear, I am home again at last! As much as I love my hearth and home, I do too love to travel with my friends! Almost any excuse will do! Oh, this time I traveled to Austin, Texas, with my good friend Sue Troyan, -- yes again, to attend the graduation of her elder son, Brent Edward, from the University of Texas Law School. Such a fine figure of a young man! He will make a good lawyer. Why, yes, while there I did get to meet some new quilters, visit with some dear, old friends and family, and to eat at least my share of some fine Texas barbecue!! Yes, I did bring back a recipe or two, which I will gladly share with you later, but since I know your time today is short, and you are still interested in block exchanges and how they work, let's get to that first, shall we? Wonderful!

Now here is that List of Etiquette Rules For Block Exchanges, which I mentioned when last we visited. Oh, that copy is for you. Yes, they are really quite simple and practical. Common sense mostly. I hope you and your friends find them useful. One certainly never wants to stifle creativity, but there is just something about having things in writing that tend to make them more -- what? important? official? real? All of the above?! Well, take them and make whatever use of them that you can. You know, we quilters are a un-rule-ly bunch! That is one of the grandest things about us! We like to travel our own paths! But a few rules now and then can be helpful in avoiding misfortune, don't you think?

So, tell me, have you spoken with some of your friends about doing an exchange? Excellent! Are you pleased with the quilters who will be participating? Good! Now, have you chosen a theme, or a block? Are you doing something contemporary or reproducing an old quilt? What are you considering? Ahh, you are not sure what you want to do and need some ideas. Well, hummm. Yes, of course, I can tell you about some of the exchanges I have been in over the years, and about some of those friends have done. Would that be helpful? Very well. Ahh, you are going to take notes. A good idea!

Where shall we start? Well, there are any number of ways to exchange blocks. One is only limited by one's imagination and the collective aspirations of the group. But there are several ways that seem to be most popular nowadays with quilters. Let's call the first one a Simple Exchange.

A Simple Exchange: one in which a single block of a certain size is chosen to be made and traded. There would be a set number of blocks made for each person. The blocks might be "scrappy" in appearance, or have specific colors or fabrics or fabric types in specific places, but would all be basically the same block. Examples of this type of exchange would be the Churn Dash block we spoke of before -- 6" finished, using Civil War reproduction fabrics, 6 different blocks for each quilter. Or the Goose In The Pond block that my friends who call themselves "Aunt Pitty Pat's Ladies" recently exchanged -- one 15" finished (15 1/2" unfinished) block per quilter, made of red and white reproduction fabrics from 1850 to 1880.

The "Nineteenth Century Patchwork Divas of Texas" have been doing this sort of exchange for nearly seven years. We have completed almost two-dozen exchanges and made some wonderful quilts, if I do say so! With this type of exchange, everyone gets pretty much the same blocks from which to work. Settings are up to the individuals so the quilts are still always different. It is a good way to reproduce a quilt of any age.

Almost No Rules Exchange: The "Best Friends" second exchange was of this sort. Our first exchange was pretty much as well! What a delightful group of quilters! If we had more time, I would tell you about how we got together and our first exchange. Perhaps another time, but, for now, I shall tell you about our second exchange. Following the wise council of Sharyn Craig, a BF (Best Friend) in good standing, the rules were few and simple. One block to be made by each person, the perimeter of which had to be 72" (for example, an 18" square or an octagon with 9" sides), of whatever style, design and techniques of the maker's choosing, and it had to be signed by the maker "for my best friend, from ______". This was the most important rule of all. We had about 10 months to complete the block, which, when finished, was to be wrapped in plain brown paper, with no distinguishing marks to give away the maker, and brought to International Quilt Festival in Houston for a white elephant type exchange. This type of exchange is fun, different, quick and easy, and can provide the center for a larger quilt or the main body of a wall hanging.

Mystery Exchange: carries the concept of original design a bit further. This type of exchange will produce a sampler quilt, because no two quilters will be making the same block! Perhaps this approach can best be explained by an example. Some years ago, a group of 25 quilters most of who were from the Baltimore - Annapolis area, (We shall call them the "Baltimore Buds".) had a once a year exchange. The first year had a Patriotic theme, red, white, and blue, and the second one had a Christmas theme. Each quilter secretly chose or designed a block to make for each of the 25 members -- one block for each person. The quilter then picked a specific fabric, some picked a background fabric as well, and sent a fat 1/8 to everyone to be used in the construction of her blocks. All of the designs had at least one place where each individual's special fabric would be used.

So, each quilter was to make 25 blocks of the same design, but each of the 25 blocks contained a different "special" fabric. Many months were allowed for completion. Then they all gathered for a pre-holiday party and exchanged the blocks. All the quilts had the same 25 designs, but every quilt was quite different because each had a different of special, personal fabric in all of the blocks! The resulting quilts from this type of exchange are always wonderful. Two of the Christmas quilts were hung, at different times, in the Maryland State House in special holiday exhibits, curated for the Governor and Lt. Governor by my good friend Norma Campbell. If your group likes sampler quilts and a bit of mystery, you might want to set up this type of exchange.

Friend's Choice: The Perinton Quilter's Guild of upstate New York used this type of exchange for their first exchange back in '91. 1991, that is!! Let me use them as a way of explaining this kind of trade. The 25 guild members who wanted to participate decided that each quilter would choose a block of any size with a "reasonable" number of pieces, and NO set in seams. Then they would make up 24 kits containing directions and any specific fabric they wanted used in all their blocks. One chose the Ohio Star, another Jack in the Pulpit, another a basket, a pine tree, and so on.

Then everyone's name was drawn from a hat to determine whose blocks would be made first, second, third, and so on. The idea was that each month, quilters would make blocks for two people, in order, until at the end of the year, all the blocks were done and would be exchanged. No one would get any blocks until everyone's were finished! Help for the less experienced among them would be available whenever needed. They even drew up a contract, which they all signed, pledging to complete the project and not drop out right after one's own blocks were sewn! Some wanted it signed in blood! But they settled for just permanent ink!! Well, all went well, but they finished in about 6 months instead of the planned year! You see, it does not take long to make one block, and the blocks were turning out so well, who could resist pushing on? Then who could resist showing them off? And who could keep from giving them?

The results were delightful! One of my favorites was Mary Lou Dailor's Pine Tree Quilt. She set the blocks on point to create a central "forest green", then built a whole town around it in the borders, complete with running dog, demure cat, and a cheerful sun! All the quilts were wonderful! Everyone enjoyed the project, except for one little thing. One of the members was a new quilter who did not quite have her quarter inch seam down, did not understand that a 40 piece block was not exactly "reasonable", and she had not a clue that her chosen block had 20 inset seams because she did not know what an inset seam was!! She was one of the last on the list, so they felt they had little choice but to make her blocks. Even though few of the ones she had made were useable, no one had the heart to discourage her, though a few did want to wring her neck!! Aside from that little misunderstanding though, the exchange was considered a great success! This sort of exchange gets everyone a quilt of their own choosing made by friends. It can be fun and satisfying. I do not know if the guild ever did another exchange. I think that they surely must have, but I would bet that their guidelines were more detailed!

So there, you have a few ideas of how to set up your exchange. There are many more, like a Round Robin and such. Put on your thinking cap, my dear, and I will wager that you can think of even more ways!

Oh, remember that First Rule of Block Exchanges -- that one must expect to receive some imperfect blocks? Well, there are ways to deal with those not quite correctly sized ones. Sharyn Craig wrote a most helpful little book entitled "Twist and Turn," published by Chitra, on how to cope with the problem. I do believe it is still available. And some of the Best Friends' blocks are on page 10!

Oh, yes, I understand. You must be going. I am so glad you came by. I hope you enjoy our visits as much as I do! Come and see me again soon. Do your best work, and I shall remain, as always, your Aunt Pitty Pat. Bye, now! What? What's that? You forgot to ask about Internet exchanges?! Oh, my! Yes, we will talk about them next time! Oh yes, we need to talk about them! Yes, of course, we will! Good bye for now!

Do your best work, my dear,
and I shall remain,
As always, your Aunt Pitty Pat.
©2003 Aunt Pitty Pat
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