On the Path Again in Black and White

There are so many ways to put the pattern Drunkard's Path together! I found this old beauty on an online auction site. The way this pattern works is that the blocks seem to fall down the quilt in diagonal rows, thus the name "Falling Timbers."
The variety of black-n-white prints found in this piece is staggering. Tiny-scale prints like these were a mainstay of 1890-1920 everyday at-home women's clothing. The dull prints were sometimes called "mourning prints," referring to the subdued clothing one might wear after a death in the family. They were also marketed as "Shaker Grays" or "Quaker Grays." I guess the presumption was that these religious folks would naturally wear modest, as in dull, clothing.

What I love is the contrast here between the tiny black-n-white prints and the prominent diagonal lines of distinctly Deco brighter fabrics. Perhaps this quilt top was made from an inter-generational scrap bag? In any case, it's a happy mixture of grays from grandmaw and modern prints that make for an interesting overall pattern.

Speaking of black-n-white...check out this link for the listing (and pics) of the latest classes at the Quilt Studio http://www.peppercory.com/quilt_studio.html
A picture of a possible outcome of the Black and White class is on the upper right.