Hosannah - The Palm Quilt

The Palm Block, aka Hosannah

I love blocks with sharp points. And the historic, traditional Palm block is a perfect example of this. I have taught this as a class and also featured this in a variety of quilts that have been published in magazines and now in my new book: Paper Piecing Perfect Points. Since Easter is coming in a week, I thought I would show a few of my quilts made with this block.

10" Palm Blocks set on point

The quilt pictured above was made with a collection of fabrics called Regency Dandy by Windham Fabrics. Tradtional reproduction fabrics used in a very non-traditional way. I love the bold prints and the use of the striped fabrics. These are 10" blocks and, set on point, are 14". One of my favorite quilts with renegade personality.

OK. The connection with the Palm Block and Easter? It has to do with the triumphant entry of Jesus on the last week of his life and the use of palm leaves that were used by the crowds who waved them as he came through the streets of Jersalem on the back of a donkey. They were calling out "hosannah" (which means 'praise' in Hebrew, I believe). Fickle crowd - because they turned on him in no time, asking for his death. Someone, somewhere, turned the image of a palm branch into a quilt block and made it in fabric.

My pattern is paper pieced and can be any size because it is based on a 4 x 4 grid. It also is pieced as though it were an off-center log cabin, so no center seam.

Here is the single block, unadorned:

No center seam - sewn as one continuous unit

Here are a few other Palm/Hosannah blocks and quilts:

Yes, you can arrange 7 blocks into a quilt center

Batiks. 10" blocks. Good sized quilt. Sold this quilt top to a very happy quilter when I moved from Atlanta to Virginia. Donated the money to a woman's agency to help the homeless.

One block can become an awesome pillow!

Gotta be one of my favorite quilts - 4 blocks in lush floral prints

And here are my last two quilts, as featured in my book:

Here's that 7 block arrangement again!

Palm block with alternate drunkard's path block, by Kathryn Wager Wright

You can see more of this block in previous posts. Here is one using Windham Fabrics

Stay tuned for more of this block. When I like a block I can't resist making more and more. In a variety of sizes and a variety of fabrics. Just can't get enough, I guess.