Quilting, in its most essential form, consists of layers of fabric, often with padding in between and stitching these layers together to form a blanket or cover for a bed. However, through the study of quilts from different dates, places, and cultures, it becomes clear that quilting is a complex and rich art form that reflects the social, economic, and spiritual influences of any given time period.
Quilting, in one form or another, has been used throughout history. In ancient Egypt, pharaohs used to wear quilted clothing and furniture, and in Mongolia, quilted fabric was used for soft floor coverings. Knights wore padded clothing under their armor for comfort, and over it to protect the metal from the effects of the elements.
In the United States, quilting was a common practice almost from the earliest settlements. It was practiced primarily by women, and while often done for utilitarian purposes, quilting also provided women with a creative outlet in a world where hard work and little free time were the common lot of women.
Cloth was expensive in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and used with care and economy so that little was left over, and clothing was worn until it could no longer be sewn or mended, with little left for use in quilt making. Because of this, quilting tended to be done by the wealthy or by slaves on behalf of their wealthy owners.
During the civil war, quilts became important items for the comfort and protection of soldiers. The mothers and wives of the fighting men created new quilts, or heirloom quilts taken apart and reformed into multiple “crib quilts”. Other more decorative quilts were sold or raffled off to raise money for much-needed equipment and supplies.
Pioneer women often carried quilts with them as they traveled through the county, or created them once they arrived at their new homes. These quilts reflected the experiences of their makers and, as the names of the patrons show, recalled their travels. Prairie Queen, Log Cabin, Pine Tree, and the Oregon Trail are just a few examples.
Quilts were used to commemorate and celebrate important occasions, whether as personal as a marriage or as grand as a state celebration or world’s fair, probably because a quilt has the ability to share a story and convey historical facts in a unique way. and visual. form.
Quilts are still an important part of our national character today. In 2010 the AIDS Memorial Quilt was created. Consisting of more than 46,000 commemorative panels created by more than 91,000 people, this quilt weighs approximately 54 tons and is intended to commemorate and celebrate those who have lost their lives to the AIDS virus.
A Study of Louisiana Quilts at the University of New Orleans is a large project that involves collecting and recording photographs of family quilts and the stories that go with them. Things like financial health and suffering in the state’s history are reflected in the types of fabrics used in these quilts, and many serve as scrapbooks of family histories.
Thousands of quilt shows take place across the country each year, ranging in size from the huge International Quilt Market in Houston, Texas, to the small regional event in Three Sisters, Oregon. Regardless of their size, these events reflect the interest and enthusiasm that seamstresses have in the art of quilting.
Go to any quilt store today and see the finest and most diverse fabrics available to choose from, and the machines that actually sew. Many artists have pushed traditional quilting norms to create unique, free-form patterns that reflect 21st century life and culture. Yet despite designer fabrics and programmable quilting machines, today’s quilters basically continue the tradition of fusing multiple layers of fabric together into a new creation, one stitch at a time.