Okay, can we talk about something that has always fascinated me?

If you've ever browsed a list of vintage quilt block names, you've probably noticed how many of them include the word "choice." Clay's Choice. Grandmother's Choice. Aunt Sukey's Choice. Mrs. Cleveland's Choice. It just keeps going.

What Does "Choice" Mean in a Vintage Quilt Block Name?

Here's the short version: adding "choice" to a block name was basically a dedication.

It meant preferred by or favored by a specific person — the quilter's way of saying, I made this one for you. A beloved grandmother. A respected neighbor. A community leader. A public figure someone admired. If a person mattered, a quilter could honor them the best way she knew how — by stitching their name into a block that would outlast them both.

Why Did 19th-Century Women Name Quilt Blocks After People?

This is the part that really gets me — and it's worth understanding if you love vintage quilt history.

In the 19th century, women had very few ways to make their voices heard publicly. They couldn't vote. They couldn't hold office. But they could quilt — and they did it with purpose.

Clay's Choice honored statesman Henry Clay and his efforts to keep a divided nation together. Mrs. Cleveland's Choice celebrated a First Lady. The Whig Rose and the Harrison Rose declared political opinions at a time when women had no ballot to cast.

And on a more personal level, blocks like Aunt Sukey's Choice and Grandmother's Choice kept beloved women alive in the memory of their communities long after they were gone. A quilter might honor a midwife, a teacher, a dear friend who moved away — all through the simple act of naming a block.

The quilt block was her voice. I love that so much.

Why Are There So Many "Choice" Quilt Blocks?

Because the formula worked for everyone — and quilt patterns back then traveled without any documentation at all.

There were no printed patterns in the 1800s. If you wanted to make a block you'd seen on someone else's quilt, you memorized it, went home, and figured it out. As blocks passed from quilter to quilter across towns and counties, they picked up new names along the way.

The same block might be Nancy's Choice in one community and Grandmother's Choice just fifty miles down the road. Some blocks ended up with as many as twenty different names over time. "Choice" became one of the most popular naming conventions in all of quilting history — because it could be made personal for absolutely anyone.

Introducing the Choice Block Series

You guys, I am so excited about this.

I've always been drawn to vintage quilt blocks that come with a story attached, and the "choice" blocks are absolutely full of them. So I'm launching the Choice Block Series right here on the blog — a collection of posts where I share both the history and the step-by-step how-to for some of my favorites.

We're starting with Squire Smith's Choice.

What Is Squire Smith's Choice?

Squire Smith's Choice is a late Victorian-era quilt block, first documented in 1899, and it is gorgeous.

The design creates a beautiful braced, diamond-like effect — and here's the really fun part. When you repeat the block across a quilt, the corners meet to form a secondary star pattern that seems to appear out of nowhere. It's one of those wonderful "wait, how did that happen?" moments that makes traditional quilting so satisfying.

The Mystery Behind the Name

Okay, this part is my favorite.

Nobody actually knows who Squire Smith was.

"Squire" was a title given to a Justice of the Peace in 19th-century America — a respected local figure in any small community. So "Squire Smith" might simply mean Justice of the Peace Smith, honored the same way Clay's Choice honored a national statesman.

But "Squire" was also used as a genuine given name in the 1800s, especially across the rural South and Midwest. There may have been a real man named Squire Smith — someone beloved enough that a quilter decided to stitch his name into a block that has now survived for more than 125 years.

His story didn't make it. His block did.

I think about that every time I make it.

How to Make Squire Smith's Choice — Step by Step

Finished block size: 10" Piecing method: Half-square triangles (HSTs) Skill level: Beginner-friendly — no paper piecing required!

What You'll Need

2 squares, 8" × 8" (fabric 1)
2 squares, 8" × 8" (fabric 2)

Fabric to make 2 sets of 8 at a time Half Square Triangles (HSTs)

Simple materials. Beautiful result.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 — Make your HSTs Using the 8-at-a-time method, make 16 half-square triangles from your red and white squares. (Full 8-at-a-time instructions are linked right here — it's easier than it sounds!) Trim each HST to 3½" × 3½".

Step 2 — Arrange your HSTs Lay out all 16 HSTs as shown in the image below. Take a moment here — the direction each triangle faces is what creates that secondary star effect when the blocks come together.

16 HSTs laid out to form Squire Smith’s Chioce Block

Step 3 — Sew into rows Sew your HSTs into 4 rows of 4 using a ¼" seam allowance. Press your seams.

Step 4 — Join the rows Sew your 4 rows together using a ¼" seam allowance. Give everything a final press.

Completed Squire Smith’s Choicw Quilt Block

And just like that — you've made Squire Smith's Choice! 🎉

Save This Tutorial for Later 📌

Not ready to sew today? Save this post to your Quilt Tutorials or Quilt History board on Pinterest so it's right there when you are!

More Choice Blocks Are Coming

There are so many more blocks in this series — each one with its own little piece of history tucked inside. You won't want to miss them.

Join the Straight Stitching newsletter and I'll send you a free PDF pattern for Old Tippecanoe as my welcome gift. It's another block with a wonderful story, and it makes a perfect companion to this one.

👉 Subscribe here — link your newsletter signup

Happy Stitching,

Tiffany

Why Are So Many Quilt Blocks Called "Someone's Choice"? (+ How to Make Squire Smith's Choice)