Tree of Life quilt pattern.

Similar to the Pine Tree,Tree of Life is a complex pattern using multiple triangles. Placed vertically or often on the diagonal, the pattern is striking whether

arranged as a single large central medallion, or repeated in rows of trees on the diagonal.

 

The earliest Tree of Life quilts, popular around 1800, featuring adesign of a large central tree on a hill, were cut from printed Indian chintz fabric and appliqued to a solid background. As the nineteenth century progressed, the Tree of Life of pattern was transformed into a pieced block design, popular in the 1840’s and 1860’s. Ruby Short McKim published this pattern, calling it “Little Beech Tree” in her 1931 book One Hundred and One Patchwork Patterns.

A Tree of Life Quilt.

Georges Mill Farm in Western Loudoun has an heirloom antique Tree of Life Quilt.