Monkey Wrench quilt block

The Monkey Wrench quilt block was one of the many blocks used as codes to help slaves escape and reach Canada along the 'Underground Railroad'. Quilts were strategically placed on fences and clotheslines in such a way as to showcase certain quilt blocks Those blocks were indicators of whom to approach or which direction to take on their escape route. The Monkey Wrench quilt block represented the blacksmith. (Side note: the block was named for the inventor of the tool -- a London blacksmith by the name of Charles Moncke).

You might also be interested in this quilt block ~ Underground Railroad

Monkey Wrench quilt block

Using the colours shown in this sample block as an example, you might envision a quilt for a special man in your life. (Also, the quilt block represents a "blacksmith" -- a very manly occupation.) :-)

The two sample quilts shown below, both use on point settings. As you can see, you can achieve very different looks while using this simple quilt block.

Quilts designed using the MONKEY WRENCH quilt block

<sub>All images © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com

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The Blacksmith -- aka -- the Monkey Wrench

_{Monkey Wrench}

The Monkey Wrench quilt block has been around for a long time. History tells us that quilt patterns were used as codes to help escaping slaves reach Canada along the 'Underground Railroad'. The Monkey Wrench quilt block pattern was designed to represent the blacksmith (named for the inventor of the tool -- a London blacksmith named Charles Moncke), and was one of the many quilt blocks used in the code.

By hanging a quilt with a certain pattern over a railing -- supposedly to dry -- the slaves were directed to a certain location on their road to freedom, with no one in authority being the wiser. Download the free quilt block pattern.

Today's Quotes about Tools

Eli Whitney

• "Science is a tool, and we invent tools to do things we want. It's a question of how those tools are used by people."
  ~ Margaret Atwood


• "Men have become the tools of their tools."
  ~ Henry David Thoreau


• "One of my primary objects is to form the tools so the tools themselves shall fashion the work and give to every part its just proportion."
  ~ Eli Whitney


• "Don't force it ... get a bigger hammer."
  ~ Arthur Bloch

_{Monkey Wrench image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com
Eli Whitney image courtesy encyclopedia.com}