Orphan Block Quilts Now and Then

I love what some of the blog ladies are doing with their orphan blocks. Instead of thinking a pile of mismatched singles aren't meant to go together, they cast doubt aside and pull them into a top. Here are two of my favorites.

Jeanne over at Spiral did this one:

And Lucy at ~Quilting With the Past~ did this one:

I've looked at antique quilts made along the same lines, but I never understood them. Such a mishmash of blocks, sizes and colors, what was the maker thinking??

Here's one dated 1880:

But who's to say orphan block quilts are a new idea??