Snail's Trail

About this block

This block is built by starting with a small four-patch center set straight, then adding half-square triangles of increasing size in rounds using a Log Cabin-related technique, creating the same spiraling, swirl-like effect as Monkey Wrench. The straight-set center is what distinguishes it from Monkey Wrench, which uses an on-point four-patch to start the spiral instead. Quilt designer Ruby McKim used the names "Snail's Trail" and "Monkey Wrench" interchangeably in the 1920s, and quilt historian Barbara Brackman notes the design has also gone by Indiana Puzzle, Journey to California, and Whirligig Quilt. As with Monkey Wrench, getting the spiral illusion to read correctly across multiple blocks requires rotating every other block when setting the quilt top.