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Quilt Notes:
STAR OF THE WEST, also called EMPIRE STAR, was first published by Hearth and Home, a periodical in circulation from 1885 - 1930s, according to Barbara Brackman's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PIECED QUILT PATTERNS (#3222). See also Maggie Malone's 5,500 QUILT BLOCK DESIGNS (#2359). Notice the surprising transformation in the tiling pattern, obscuring any sense of the original octagon, so prominent in the individual block.
Many quilt blocks celebrate famous events in American history: have a look at Wikipedia for more on the background of a steamship by this name, involved in the first shots of the Civil War at FORT SUMTER (the title of another historical block). However, this illustration of STAR OF THE WEST imagines a peaceful sunset evening, as the sun declines and stars appear. For more octagon designs at this site, see: MORNING PATCH, GRANDMA'S SURPRISE, and PIGEON TOES.
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STAR OF THE WEST
