In 2011, as we marked the 150th anniversary of the start of the
American Civil War, the New England Quilt Museum presented "One
Foot Square, Quilted and Bound", an exhibit of uniquequilts,
several of which were made for soldiers wounded in that
conflict. The exhibit also included rare and never-before-
displayed Civil War artifacts and textiles. As the name of the
exhibitimplied, each individual block was about one foot square,
quilted, then bound, using a similar technique for making
potholders. These small, bound blocks were then whipstitched
together to create afull-sized quilt. So, though these were not
actually made from potholders, they became known as "potholder
quilts," and by the time of the Civil War, the method was a
popular way for groupsof seamstresses to work together to make
quilts for injured and recuperating soldiers. The potholder
style is perfect for guild projects, with each guild member
creating a finished block, and for "Saturday Sampler" projects
at your favorite quilt shop. This beginne