Quilting - An Age Old Art

American and European quilting traditions started as a way of adding warmth and weight to garments under armor. The tradition diverged slightly from that beginning. Quilters of the Victorian age used leftover scraps of cloth from previous projects to piece together what was known as a crazy quilt. These quilts usually ended up as a show-piece to decorate their parlours.

Of necessity, American quilters created quilts for a more utilitarian purpose. They made use of the material on hand, including feed sacks, in their fabric blocks to save funds. Many made a living at selling their quilts to unattached men, but the main goal was to provide warmth on cold nights for their families.

No single design is known to dominate the tradition of quilting. The eventual purpose of the finished quilt, region, or religion often influences the design chosen. Sometimes because of the scarcity of paper and ink quilts were used to record national, local and family history.

Quilts were also used to express caring and friendship to close friends. The friendship quilt was one used for such a purpose. Contributions of blocks or pieces of fabric would be made by a group of quilters to make a quilt for someone special to them. Once there was enough material gathered then the group would come together in what was known as a quilting bee, or circle to finish the quilt.

Another version of a friendship quilt is called an autograph or signature quilt. The community, family, or friends would asked to sign their names on quilt blocks, or pieces in recognition of an individual. Then the quilt is put together by an individual, or a group, as a remembrance of an event of some importance in the life of the recipient.

Not every signature quilt is, or was, created for showing friendship. The raising of funds was the goal. Autographs of notable people are collected on quilt blocks. The blocks would then be sewn together to make a quilt that would be auctioned off, or raffled. Another way the signature quilt would be used in raising money was to charge a fee to those in the community who wished to sign a quilt block themselves.

The crazy quilt design was another way that quilters could raise money for a good cause. They would write to famous people asking for clothing scraps to sew into their quilt. When they finished their quilt it would be auctioned off.

Practicers of the art of quilting are able to use their skills for more than just the providing of warmth or weight to undergarments. Preserving memories and the raising of funds for charity is also a significant part of the tradition of quilting.