chicken scratch quilt blocks

Also know as snowflake embroidery, depression lace, gingham lace or Amish lace.

I will probably never use the instruction my aunt sent my mother, as I'm not that much into embroidery. (I have tendon-n-nerve damage in my hands-n-arms from making a living beating the heat-treating warp out of airplane parts.)  I wanted to pass the idea on in case it might be of interest for someone.

Instead of repeating the information that is available out on the web, here are some sources.
http://www.crossstitching.com/chicinst.htm.  This information was enclosed in the envelope my aunt sent my mother.  It covers fabric, hoops, needles and thread/floss. The information covers two of the stitches used in great detail and gives you a pattern of a heart.  There is a video available on the home page, which is very helpful.

The University of West Virginia has an extension newsletter on the subject: http://fh.ext.wvu.edu/r/download/122250.  As well as the University of Kentucky:  http://www2.ca.uky.edu/hes/fcs/factshts/CT-MMB-712.pdf.  Both newsletters have a pattern enclosed of an 8-pointed star.

My aunt enclosed two 18" samples of the 8-point star block.

I really like the contrasting outline of the second block with the white center of the first block.  These blocks were done on quarter-inch gingham.  In fact all of the chicken scratch I've seen has been done on the quarter-inch gingham.  For a baby it would be cute done on eighth-inch gingham I would think.

Here is the full size pattern that was enclosed with the two blocks.

I would think any pieced quilt block could be converted to a Chicken Scratch pattern if drawn on quarter-inch graft paper.

It appears from the photos of the quilts enclosed in the envelope.  My aunt made the quilts at least 4 x 4 in the center and used solid sashings and borders.  For each cornerstone she used a two-inch square of the white lace on a four-inch block.

Here are some links to different patterns:
http://crossstitch.about.com/od/chickenscratch/ig/Chicken-Scratch-Patterns/

http://kindawonderful.typepad.com/pink_paper_peppermints/2010/04/chicken-scratch-embroidery-tutorial-free-pattern-and-stitch-guide.html


I hope this is helpful for someone who is curious about this type of embroidery and quilting.

Have a good day!

Judy