Quilting: Chronicle Of Practicality And Friendship
The reason for what began as the European American tradition of quilting was to increase the weight and warmth to garments underneath armor. From that simple beginning a slight divergence occurred.
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.
Quilters in the American colonies out of need created more practical quilts. Material came from what was available; feed sacks for example, to make the fabric blocks that would be used in their quilts. By doing this they were able to save what little money they had. The primary purpose for their endeavors was to keep their families warm on winter nights, but, at times, selling quilts to those who needed them could also make a living.
No single quilt design is more popular than the others. Religion, end purpose of the quilt, and region in which it is produced, often are influences in the choice of pattern. One interesting use to which quilt making was put was at a time when paper and ink were not readily available was the recording of history on a local, family and national level.
Other quilt designs were used to express friendship and care to close friends or family. One such design was actually named the friendship quilt. A group of quilters would decide to sew a quilt for a special person. Each participant would make one or more pieces of the quilt. Then the quilt would be pieced together when the group gathered in a quilting circle or bee.
A signature or autograph quilt is another type of friendship quilt. Community, friends and family would autograph individual quilt pieces, which would be collected together for assembly into the quilt. An individual or a group of quilters would then sew it together for the commemoration of a significant event in the life of the one who is to receive it.
Not every signature quilt was made for friendship purposes. Quite a few were created for the purpose of fund raising. Important and famous people would be asked to autograph a quilt block for a charity. Once all the blocks were collected and the quilt sewn together it would be auctioned off or a raffle would be held. A variation of this type of fundraiser was to have members of the community who wish to participate pay a fee for the privilege of autographing a quilt piece 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.