At first glance DELAWARE CROSSPATCH looks like it was drafted on a 4 x 4 grid, but the larger triangles are irregular, and requiring the more cockamamy 5 x 5 — scroll below to see how the blocks stream crosswise from patch to patch, rather than up and down. In fact, regarding this block's history (a design she admits is not historical), Nancy Cabot titled her reflection in the Chicago Tribune (early autumn, 1937), "Naughty Child Inspired Name of Quilt Design," she says: "The amusing story connected with this quilt hardly can be regarded as history, but it accounts for the name of the block. It originally was pieced as a sort of hit and miss design to utilize the patches in the scrap bag. In the creator's large family there was one child, a little girl more obstreperous than her sisters and brothers, and the cause of much grief and woe. One day when the mother was working on her blocks and frequently disturbed by her offspring, she suddenly named the quilt the 'Delaware Crosspatch,' and vowed to put it away for the child's trousseau to remind the young woman of what a trial she had been as a youngster." There is no previous history, at least in print, for DELAWARE CROSSPATCH, nor does it have any alternative names. According to the compendiums (see bibliography) by Barbara Brackman (#2563), Maggie Malone (#603) and by Jinny Beyer (#189-4), it's life in quiltdom begins here with Nancy Cabot. In addition, Cabot's mother's name was Delia, she was a dressmaker, a designer, a seamstress. So it seems possible that this story told by NC derives from her own life experience. She may herself be the "naughty child" who inspired the name of the design. Of course, we're just guessing. Anyway read more about Nancy Cabot (Loretta Leitner Rising) and her fascinating career. Compare with MIGRATION, also ENIGMA SQUARE, MYSTIC STAR and YREKA SQUARE