An unusual design from about 1910 found in the Iowa Project. Lucy Kessler Eddy made the quilt. The family name was Friendly Hand The pattern is BlockBase #2400 and here's a block from Mary Barton's collection (also from Iowa.) The block appeared in the Clara Stone patchwork pattern catalog from about 1910 as Nautilus A block from the era A top with blocks set all over Alternate plain blocks The spiral block is a square in a square in a square etc., with an X in the center. But wouldn't it work better as a spiral if the X were shaded differently? I imported it from Block Base into Electric Quilt and reshaded it. Ruby McKim must have thought the same thing as she published it about 1930 as Monkey Wrench with a four patch in the center. BlockBase #2397 Inspiring many quilters The Freedom Quilting Bee, maybe about 1980 The shading is tricky. Here's an EQ pattern for Nautilus in a 12" block. Those numbers are A - 6-7/8" B - 3-7/8" C - 7-1/4" D - 4-1/4" And here's how that clever Lucy Kessler Eddy set her blocks. For a 12" block alternate with a 6 x 12" finished rectangle and offset the repeat. Another great variation from the Wyoming Project. The family name was Nautilus. It's the same red and white square block--- let's say 12", set with a single alternate blue block half that size---so 6" The nautilus block is then set at a half-drop--- half way up, stair-stepped. http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?kid=51-8C-A1A