Boston Commons

Boston Commons is a type of patchwork quilt featuring small, often postage stamp-sized squares, arranged in a grid-like design.

In looking at Boston Commons quilts on the Quilt Index, I found that they included Trip Around the World quilts in addition to those I typically attributed to the title Boston Commons. 

Around the World by Hazel Orr Wharton - Logansport Indiana 1930-1949 KID:40-38-416

Boston Common 1930-1949 KID:11-37-3752

99 Times Around the World 1950-1975 KID:56-165-7

Boston Common (Medallion Square) by Ethel Turner Goodemoot c 1992 Lake Odessa, Michigan KID: 12-8-6017

Boston Commons 1901-1929 KID: 17-13-2388

Boston Commons by Lucy Calfee 1930-1949 KID:26-22-4395

Boston Commons by Janice Baalman Hoxie, 1981 Kansas KID: 7-4-11492

Boston Common by Agness Van Osdol Griffith late 1800s to 1930 Holton Indiana KID:28-30-646

1930-1949 KID 39-40-2658

Mountain Mist Boston Commons Batting Wrapper Pattern

Boston Commons Mountain Mist Pattern Quilt

Mountain Mist began including quilt patterns in their batting wrappers starting in 1929.  Because one didn’t know what pattern was inside the batting roll, Stearns & Foster sold the Mountain Mist quilt patterns by mail order as well.

Pattern No. 30 was Boston Commons.  I couldn't track down a photo of the pattern, but I found a picture of this quilt that was noted as being made from the pattern.

If you would like to know more about Mountain Mist quilts, check out the exploration of Mountain Mist quilts at the International Quilt Museum. 

Creating a Coloring Sheet for a Boston Commons Quilt in Electric Quilt

For my design, I elected to draft a quilt similar to the Mountain Mist quilt with sections of on point squares interspersed with borders.  

When using Electric Quilt, I typically like to start with a block and then design the quilt using that block.  For the Boston Commons quilt, I turned the process around.

I started by creating a One Patch Layout which I used as a coloring sheet for the design. 

• Set up a New Quilt>One Patch.

• On the Layout Tab set the Patch style Diamonds. 

• Set the finished size of units with the same size Width and Height.  This will make each unit an on-point square.
•  Set the number of horizontal and vertical units.  I started with a layout of 27 x 29.  You can delete extra columns and rows if you don't need them.

Note that your deletions will always be on the right side and bottom of the quilt layout. 

One Patch Layout Setup in Electric Quilt 8

Here is my coloring sheet.  I chose to color only the "dark" squares in my quilt.

EQ8 Coloring Worksheet for Boston Commons

I started in the upper left corner and colored each border block with a different fabric. 

My goals were to :

• Determine the size of the center.
• Determine that shapes of each of the pieced border blocks.
• Determine the size of the pieced border blocks.
• ​Identify the width of the background pieces (between the pieced blocks).

When I did my coloring, I wasn't sure where I was going to include the piecing for those diagonal segments (dark red and orange) for the corners.  I ultimately decided to include them in the left and right borders.

Identified Border Blocks and Sizes

I identified the following blocks:

• Center Block
• Border 2 Block 1
• Border 2 Block 2
• Border 4 Block 1
• Border 4 Block 2

For the sizes, I used the tape measure on the quilt worktable and measured the width and height.

There was a small hole where the "L-Shape" meets between blocks 1 and 2.  I decided to include that small piece in Block 1.  That will need to be pieced with an inset corner.

With the tape measure, I also measured the width of Border 1 (5") and Border 3 (5").

Boston Commons Quilt Drafted with Electric Quilt 8

I was then ready to get started drafting the "real" quilt in Electric Quilt.  This is the one covered in the video tutorial.

Layout and Borders Tabs

• Set up New Quilt>Horizontal.
• Layout with number of blocks at 1 x 1 and size of 8 x 10.
• Border 1:  Long Horizontal 5"
• Border 2:  Long Horizontal 6"
• Border 3:  Long Horizontal 5"
• Border 4:  Long Horizontal 6"
• Border 5"  Mitered 1/2"

Drafting the Center Block

• New Block>Pieced>EasyDraw
• Size 8 x 10
• Snaps 8 x 10 (Snap to Grid only)
• Draw diagonal lines every two inches

The video includes tips to speed up the drawing of the diagonal lines.

Boston Commons 8 x 10 Block

8 x 10 Center Block Draft - EasyDraw

Drafting Border 2 Block 1

• New Block>Pieced>PolyDraw
• Size:  28 x 6
• Grid:  Rectangle
• Snaps:  Horizontal 28 and Vertical 6
• Use PolyLine tool to draw:

1. 2 x 1 Triangle
2. 2 x 2 On Point Square
3. 1 x 1 Triangle

• ​Create diagonal rows by duplicating patches.  (These are the strip sets I would piece and cross cut for units for the block)
• ​Duplicate diagonal rows (and partial rows)
• ​No Piecing in the Upper Left and Upper Right Corners
  

PolyDraw Worktable for Border 2 Block 1

Border 2 Block 1 Finished Size 28" x 6"

Drafting Border 2 Block 2

• New Block>Pieced>PolyDraw
• Size:  32 x 6
• Grid:  Rectangle
• Snaps:  Horizontal 32 and Vertical 6
• Use PolyLine tool to draw:

1. 2 x 1 Triangle
2. 2 x 2 On Point Square
3. 1 x 1 Triangle

• ​Create diagonal rows by duplicating patches. 
• ​Duplicate diagonal rows (and partial rows)
• ​No Piecing in the Upper Left and Upper Right Corners

PolyDraw Worktable for Border 2 Block 2

Border 2 Block 2 Finished Size 32" x 6"

Drafting Border 4 Block 1

• New Block>Pieced>PolyDraw
• Size:  50 x 6
• Grid:  Rectangle
• Snaps:  Horizontal 50 and Vertical 6
• Use PolyLine tool to draw:

1. 2 x 1 Triangle
2. 2 x 2 On Point Square
3. 1 x 1 Triangle

• ​Create diagonal rows by duplicating patches. 
• ​Duplicate diagonal rows (and partial rows)
• ​No Piecing in the Upper Left and Upper Right Corners

PolyDraw Worktable for Border 4 Block 1

Border 4 Block 1 Finished Size 50" x 6"

Drafting Border 4 Block 2

• New Block>Pieced>PolyDraw
• Size:  54 x 6
• Grid:  Rectangle
• Snaps:  Horizontal 54 and Vertical 6
• Use PolyLine tool to draw:

1. 2 x 1 Triangle
2. 2 x 2 On Point Square
3. 1 x 1 Triangle

• ​Create diagonal rows by duplicating patches. 
• ​Duplicate diagonal rows (and partial rows)
• ​No Piecing in the Upper Left and Upper Right Corners

PolyDraw Worktable for Border 4 Block 2

Border 4 Block 2 Finished Size 54" x 6"

Finishing the Boston Commons Quilt

On the Quilt Worktable:

Use Block Tools>Set Block and place the 8 x 10 EasyDraw block on Layer 1.

Use Block Tools>Set Block and drag the pieced border blocks on Layer 2.

• If necessary, use the Adjust tool to resize the blocks to the drafted sizes.
• Under the Adjust Tool, turn on Snap Block Position to Grid on (This is under the Grid Snap Options) and set the Grid Snap Increments at 1".
• Rotate the blocks as necessary and overlay the blocks on the border block spaces from Layer 1.  Make sure to center your pieced blocks in each border.

Boston Commons Layout on the Quilt Worktable

Tip:  Don't stress if it looks like there are cut off blocks are extra spaces between the borders.  That appears to be an issue with rendering of the picture in EQ.  If you zoom in, you will find there are no extra spaces and the patch corners for the center block are not being cut off.

See more on drafting the blocks and quilt  in the Boston Commons video tutorial.

Boston Commons - Final Exported from EQ8

Now it is time for you to play.  Now that you know the "technique", you can vary the sizes of your borders (and border blocks).  Or change out the coloring -- this would be a great quilt to use up your extra scraps.

Share your design in the Learning EQ Facebook Group.

Learning EQ Facebook Group Post for Boston Commons Quilt

Happy quilting.

​Kari

Join the On Point Quilter weekly newsletter and receive regular tips and inspiration on using Electric Quilt 8 along with the  Free 12 Top
Tips for EQ8 video guide.