Underground Railroad Sampler (Quilt in a Day Series)

This is my favorite quilt book by Eleanor Burns. Whenever I make this quilt for a gift, I also give the book. This way, everyone knows the story and the meaning of each block. What a piece of history. Thank you, Eleanor Burns for this wonderful gift.

Eleanor Burns books are all fantastic. She has taught all of us not to be afraid to make quilts. Her instructions are clear and concise. This book had enhanced my quilting skills and is a perfect addition to my sewing library.

Just loving this book. Exactly what I was looking for to create a culmination activity for my 8th grade American History class. They will be creating a paper quilt showing their path as they travel from Middle School to their HS 12 miles down the road—> a fun and challenging activity. All 10 quilts are displayed - with remarkably clear color illustrations and instructions. Buying another copy now for my co-teacher. Thank you for all the work and research it took to develop this publication.

I bought this book for a class I am taking to make this quilt. It is very easy to follow and I like that the authors have included an explanation for each square. Any level quilter would enjoy adding this to their collection.

I am a Quilter, and I found this book to be a real Eye opener for what went on during the slavery days. I never knew how Quilts were used as codes to direct the slaves to freedom. This book is a real history lesson, that I am so glad to learn about and be a part in helping with the teaching of the slavery days. I was asked by a teacher to make this quilt. She is going to hang it in her classroom for her 5th grade students to make paper blocks, to match the Quilt. The Quilt tells the story. It's AWESOME, and I really enjoyed making it. Thank you the store for having this Quilt Book.

I found the book easy to read and understand the directions. I have been quilting for 10 years and used the book to display a quilt and PAST used it in celebrating the underground railroad in our state. I would recommend this book to beginners and experts.

As a quilt guild we decided to do the underground railroad. these are very confusing instructions. we were all forced to buy the book due to copyright. but if you can find other instructions that are easier to follow I would suggest it.

The book came within a few days of ordering it. It has a quilt block along with a write up of how it was used to tell escaping slaves where safe houses were located as well as ones to avoid. I have enjoyed the book as my quilt group uses it for a block-of-the-month guide.

I have enjoyed looking at each block and the story behind. I have made 7 blocks already and plan to complete a wall hanging. I love being able to share the stories. It is well written and directions are basic and easy to follow. One of the best quilting book I have purchased.

I have this book and have yet to make the quilt. I am in the process of finishing up a quilt for a friend of mine and maybe the Underground Railroad will be my next project. I do love Eleanor Burns quilting books but some of her instructions are so hard to follow and I have found myself simplifying her blocks. And by the way, I do not toss my cuttings over my shoulder as she does on her TV show. Come on Eleanor...that is just making extra work!

I've used several Quilt In A Day books. Underground RR has beautiful photos and interesting narratives about likely use of the quilt block for the Underground RR. (Many historians dispute the use of quilts by those on the Underground RR.) I did make quilts using some of the block in this book. I agree with others that the instructions for the blocks are not as well detailed as typical in the other Quilt In A Day books. And the photos for finished quilts are not always exact matches to the instructions, ie the North Star sample quilt is what I started with then realized the sample quilt is two different star blocks and the instructions are for only one. I've been quilting for 20+ years so could make my quilt like the one in the photo, but a beginner would likely be frustrated by this.

Bears In The Woods, Quilts Through The Seasons, and Egg Money Quilts are my other favorites by Quilt In A Day. A beginner could easily do the quilts featured in Bears In the Woods. Egg Money Quilts has some blocks requiring templates, offering a challenge to quilters ready to leave strip piecing behind.

A EXCELLENT QUILT AND HISTORICAL BOOK, I MADE THIS QUILT WITH MY QUILT TEACHER AT MY LOCAL SHOP, THE BLOCKS ARE SIMPLE & GO DIRECTLY WITH THE QUILT CODE AND QUILTS OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD TOUR AT THE SMITHSONIAN , HOWEVER THERE ARE 4 BLOCKS MISSING THAT ARE PART OF THE CODE. BUT OVER ALL I WAS WELL SATISFIED., I AM CURIOUS SINCE THIS BOOK IS STILL AVAILABLE AT ANY LOCAL QUILT SHOP,AND NOT OUT OF PRINT, WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE IT ONLY SELLS FOR $24.95 BRAND NEW.

I do not dispute that the quilts in this book are lovely, but please do not believe the myth about quilts being used as part of the underground railroad. I'm really sorry Ms. Burns chose this topic to make a book about. Her books are always great and I have made a few of her quilts and her methods are truly easier and get the job done more quickly.
If you check out this page:
[...]
The quilts supposedly used show patterns that were not even developed until after the Civil War. Women in slavery made quilts; we have much historical evidence and many surviving quilts. People remembered using quilts in escapes, but they were used to warm fugitives or protect them from view. They did not serve as code.
This myth has taken a life of it's own and it is irresponsible to produce quilts and books that do not further the truth about real history. No real evidence exists to back up the claim.
Buy Eleanor's book and make some nice quilts in Civil War repro fabrics but please do not call them Underground Railroad quilts, call them Civil War era reproduction quilts.
The link I put in did not show up here, please search on the web for "Fact Sheet on The "Quilt Code" and you will get information about this, I hope.
What harm can a charming yet false story do? We are teaching a generation of children false history. Look up the book by Barbara Brackman: "Facts and Fabrications; Unraveling the Story of Quilts & Slavery"

I agree with the other reviews that this book is NOT for beginners and the blocks can be done using easier methods. I have been quilting for 3 years and had to adjust some of the techniques back to basics found in other quilt books. But, sometimes it's good to try different techniques.
However, I did buy this book as I have an avid interest in the Civil War, particularly the railroad. Such braves souls operated this escape to freedom. In honor of that, I wanted to do a quilt for my King size bed. I used the largest size blocks in the book and did 16 blocks. When I added borders, it fit my bed. I have shown it at a local Heritage Festival and the story of each block was admired by many. Having the story block as the final block reminds me and others of the arduous journey taken on the UGRR.

I have made several nine patch quilts but this one was a challenge to say the least. It took me days on some of the blocks to figure it out. But once I did and once I bought the right supplies, all my squares turned out to be beautiful and a perfect 12 1/2 inches. I love this quilt and it is well worth the challenge. I recommend this book

First off ~ I must say the quilt will be lovely when put together, I have added the sashing and I made flying geese for the border of this quilt...next comes the hand quilting. And the story of each block is nice too.

But PLEASE do not follow her directions, they are awful. After many attempts at her directions, I ended up following the old standby directions for the blocks. It's quite easy if you look at the size the pieces of the block should be before sewing them together. For some reason she uses more steps then needed to make a block. Do not buy her Flying Geese template...waste of money. There are a lot of errors in the measurements, especially in the Bear Paw block..if you follow her directions you'll end up 1/2" too big (claw part). I had to square them down to size after the second attempt.

A nice quilt...bad directions...not a Quilt in a Day, but worth the try.

I was having such trouble trying to make my blocks following the instructions in the book, try as I might I could not get my points to match. I decided to stitch them the old fashioned way and now the blocks are turning out beautifully. Until I read the comments on this book I thought I was losing my way with patchwork and it was time to hand in my fat quarters. Having said that, the blocks are lovely especially as I am using authentic patterned material, and I am very grateful to the book for introducing me to this historical episode in American history.

I have made several Quilt in a Day quilts, but this one is a difficult piece of work. I am finding the directions a bit ambiguous and I have to look ahead to keep my blocks and pieces the right size. I think a very experienced quilter could enjoy this project, but it is definitely not for a beginner. And if you go the QIAD website you find video companions to this book. Unfortunately, the video companion gives no help in the step by step construction.

But, I am working my way to a nice quilt.

Book was supposed to be in good condition with some shelf wear but it was much worse than stated. Corners bent, pages written on. I'm just very disappointed because I take really good care of my books and this one looks really beat up.

While the authors, Eleanor Burns and Sue Bouchard, are well known published authors and quilting instructors (Ms. Burns has her own TV series), the methods to construct all the blocks in this book are more complex than necessary. Even the blocks the authors rated as "easy" are definitely not for any novice quilter. I purchased the special "Quilt in a Day" rulers to facilitate accuracy as well as measured and squared each block to the precise specifications...ensuring exact 1/4" seam measurements along the way. I also had all the pieces for each block labeled and divided into their respective individual zip lock bags before beginning to construct any of the blocks. There is no way possible this quilt can be constructed in one day. With the simplified methods of rotary cutting, strip piecing and assembly-line stitching, these authors need to revise this entire book. Unless I reach a point where I am desperate to construct another "Quilt in a Day" quilt design, I will probably avoid purchasing any more of their books.

This book has many features that are not in other quilt books. Tthis book shows you short cuts to the flying geese, & it show many good time saving techniques to shorten your time behind the sewing machine, and it's one of Eleanor Burns best books ever. Everything is so user-friendly and a great book to use for a quilt/sewing class. Everyone should have this book for the easy to follow time saving techniques.

the company had the books to me within a week...great shipping!!!

I have been quilting for about 3 years. Like many of the other people who wrote a review, I found it difficult to follow some of the instructions. To get it right, I had to take my time and make sure the cutting and sewing was exact. It is a great challenge and it has made me a more precise sewer. You don't need to be an expert quilter but having some quilting knowledge would help. Even with some parts being difficult the end results are worth while.

I have been quilting for almost one year and have had three quilting classes so far. I was a little afraid to buy this book because I thought the patterns would be too difficult for me to accomplish. I am so happy that I did purchase the book. I am so excited. I find the book to be well written and the patterns easy to follow. I am going to purchase another copy to keep on the bookcase because I know I will wear this one out. I want to make all of the various blocks in different combinations.

I read this book first, and then made the quilt. I loved it and had no problems following the directions and working through all the blocks and then doing the more intense sashing.
I had no help or took any classes to complete my quilt. I plan on making a second one now.
I had been collecting Civil War repo fabric for several years and this book was very inspiring to me. Great book, great author and very inspiring!

I am an experienced quilter and collector of books related to hand pieced quilts tracing back to the days of slavery and the Underground Railroad. I jumped to purchase this book because of the title and because I have successfully used other Burns' books/patterns. The intructions for each block were unnecessarily complicated. The pictured quilts were lovely, but I'd prefer to see them without the attempted "staging" of history - each quilt presented by the same woman in period costume. It just didn't sit well with me.

I have been quilting for 4 yrs. and have some quilting knowledge. This book was far more complicated with the construction of every block that it had to be. Some blocks I could use other patterns for same block, but when I had to use this author's directions it was horrible. Very time consuming and took all pleasure out of making the block. I was determined to make this quilt for a friend and did finish it but I would love to have a ceremonial burning of this Burns book.

A EXCELLENT QUILT AND HISTORICAL BOOK, I MADE THIS QUILT WITH MY QUILT TEACHER AT MY LOCAL SHOP, THE BLOCKS ARE SIMPLE & GO DIRECTLY WITH THE QUILT CODE AND QUILTS OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD TOUR AT THE SMITHSONIAN , HOWEVER THERE ARE 4 BLOCKS MISSING THAT ARE PART OF THE CODE. BUT OVER ALL I WAS WELL SATISFIED., I AM CURIOUS SINCE THIS BOOK IS STILL AVAILABLE AT ANY LOCAL QUILT SHOP,AND NOT OUT OF PRINT, WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE IT ONLY SELLS FOR $24.95 BRAND NEW.