Quilt Pattern: Clay's Choice

A quilt pattern is ever so much more interesting if one knows its story. "Clay's Choice" is a very lovely block in its own right, but when it is traced back to the bitter Calhoun and Clay days one finds it as "Harry's Star," "Clay's Star," or "Clay's Choice" in the soft brown-tone prints of prewar days.

Then it becomes "Henry of the West" as the tide of empire surges Westward and another generation forgets Clay entirely and calls it "Star of the West."

"Clay's Choice" or "Star of the West" is easily pieced if developed as shown in the sketch. It might be set together with alternate plain squares of either white or yellow.

Material Estimate: Blocks finish 10 inches square. Set together with alternate plain squares of either white or yellow it requires 36 pieced blocks, 36 plain blocks. This allows 8 blocks wide by 9 blocks long so that the quilt finishes about 80x90 inches. It requires 1 1/2 yards of medium yellow, 1 1/2 yards white, 1 yard orange and 4 yards of either medium yellow or white for the plain blocks. This is a total of 8 yards.

A Pineapple or Feather Circle would be effective for quilting pattern on the alternate plain blocks.