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Story by
babyannequilts
Published on December 4, 2007 in This Handmade Life |
Photo by Black Forest Quilt by babyannequilts |
For women in America, quilting began at least as early as 1750 as an opportunity for them to channel their creativity. Quilting was considered an important skill for women. Young girls were given quilting projects to help teach them to sew, such as creating small quilts for their dolls. The American Girl's Book from 1831 recommended quilt making for girls, noting that "little girls often find amusement in making patchwork quilts for the beds of their dolls."
Quilting is a unique craft that can allow many people to work on a quilt at the same time, and many women found companionship in quilting with friends and relatives. These social Quilting Bees were opportunities for women to discuss everything from recipes, to child-rearing, to politics.
The quilts themselves became significant symbols. Quilters in the 19th century regularly created quilts as political statements, using them as raffle prizes to support various causes such as abolition, temperance and during the Civil War. Quilts were one way that women of the 19th century were given a voice in their contemporary world.
And, of course, quilts became precious family heirlooms. Quilts were traditionally made and used to mark life's most significant experiences. Baby quilts were given to new mothers and larger quilts were given to couples when they were married, often with symbolic block patterns like a Lover's Knot or Double Wedding Ring.
Even in death, quilts sometimes played a significant role. During a difficult journey moving westward, death was common. But scarce wood or lack of time, often prevented trail travelers from making coffins. On these occasion, the dead were often buried wrapped in a family quilt. Those leaving the dead behind were comforted knowing that their loved one had something symbolizing the family's love in their lonely grave.
When a family relocated to a new home, friends and family members would often make a quilt as a parting gift. These friendship or album quilts, made by a group for a departing friend, were especially popular during the 1840s when there was a great surge of population moving to the western United States. The recipient of these quilts could leave with a symbolic, tangible reminder of the loved ones left behind...loved ones they probably never saw again. Margaret Seebold of Pennsylvania said, "Quilts make you think a little of the person who made it or whose dresses were in there. Maybe you don't think of them any other time except when you see that quilt."
Today, quilts play many of these same rolls in our lives. Many quilts are given at the birth of a child, as a wedding gift, and even as parting gifts. Quilts can even tie us to our dead. In preparation for this article, I asked my fellow Etsians to tell me about the quilts they have made and own. I was rewarded with some wonderful stories about how quilts continue to play a significant role in our personal and family histories.
[Heather of babyannequilts, creating a sock monkey baby quilt for her new nephew. Photo by Karl Harwood.]
Quilts connect us to other people. Jeanettejed tells how a quilt she owns connects her very intimately with family she never met: "I have a quilt that my mother just gave me a few months ago. It was made by my great-grandmother, my mother's grandmother. I feel so comforted knowing a woman who never knew I would exist put so much work into this quilt — and she did not even have the honor of knowing my mother, her granddaughter well. It just feels like love."
Quilts can also become symbolic for our own life. Jmcocoadesigns has a quilt that has carried her through most of her life's experiences: "My great grandmother, Granny, made my very first quilt as a baby gift. It has gone everywhere with me. Girl Scout camps, summer vacations, sleepovers, and even my honeymoon. (I know, I might just be a little over attatched to my baby blanket!) My blanket holds every memory possible! I am sure it holds plenty for my family as well! It has been through my whole life with me and will continue to go through life with me. What story does [my] quilt tell? My life!"
Remember, you don't have to make a quilt to be involved with quilting history...You just have to use a quilt. The memories and personal significance will come with time and use. And soon, your quilt will have its own story!
Please add YOUR quilt stories to the comments below or share it on the the forum thread!
Sources
The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950
Womenfolk: The Art of Quilting Yesterday & Today
Additional resources
The National Quilting Association
Lost Quilt Come Home: Dedicated to displaying lost and stolen quilts and to providing information on protecting quilts.
Also, check out this quilt contest from Greenjeans, one of the Storque's former Featured Buyers.
| Tags | Competitions & Opportunities, family, Germany, GreenJeans, history, quilting, quilts, women's history |
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22 comments Login to add your own!
cozycottagecreations
Thank you for this wonderful article. My mother is a quilter, and we have many heirlooms that I hope will be passed down for many generations to come. It is such a beautiful artform to share.
quiltedblessings
I loved the article! :O) As another quilter, I can definitely appreciate where quilting came from and how it has progressed over the centuries!
QuiltLover
Thank you for such a nice article. I started quilting in the early 80's when my MIL introduced me to it. Since then I have made many many Quilts, fancy and simple, my 4 daughters each have "many" and my husband has his "many" favorites as well. I have given many as gifts and now, retired from truck driving, I am making them for whomever wants to buy them. The response is overwhelming...it seems that many material things disappear and are replace through the ages but Quilts have stood the test of time and keep on meaning something.
LagunaLane
What a great article.
As a quilter, I am sitting here trying to put into words what quilting means to me...and really there are too many reasons to list!
I think the underlying truth about quilts is- a quilt makes you feel good. It may be the color or the pattern that reminds you of a special quilt- or a combination of colors that bring you back to place in your life where you feel safe and comfy.
Really the bottom line is: a quilt means someone loves you.
thecraftykitten
If anyone is passing through Southwestern Virginia, the Historic Crab Orchard Museum currently has a beautiful quilt exhibit. Some are from the 1800's and most are from the early 1900's.
fernfiddlehead
InkSpots
Planetpollyanna
bhstudio
I just loved this article--and great job finding quilts to put in it! They were great pics!
preciousquilts
Thank you for a wonderful article. Quilting means so much - it means life itself!
Always a story to be told of humanity, lives, loves, the ups and downs but always a story, a way of expression like no other.
lapomme
I've been wanting to learn to quilt for some time now. 2008, I will really go for it. Nice article, babyanne!
babyannequilts
Thank you everyone reading and sharing your quilt stories! I had a lot of fun with this article and I'm glad so many of you found quilts inspiring!
BlackStar
Wonderful article!
I had the privilege of sitting in on several quilting bees here in Tennessee. We worked from quilting frames that were suspended from the ceiling. The frames were as beautiful as the quilts that were attached to them.
MissNatalie
Thanks for the great article. I second LagunaLane's comment--a quilt is love made tactile. The time and energy one spends on quilting transforms the material from "blanket" to "protective shield of warmth and comfort". As quilts get passed down the generations, you become physically connected to a space/object of comfort that your mother, grandmother, great-grandmother created. It's a very powerful thing.
tealtown
I have wanted to make a quilt for some time now. This article just makes me want to do it more.
jillbeth
Some of my earliest memories are of visiting my grandmother who had a different handmade quilt on each bed in her home (and there were several, she had a large family)! She had created them all from her family's cast-off clothing. When I was older, she gifted my parents with a lovely quilt, which I have now. It is my prized possession, and brings back memories of the grandmother I loved so much and the wonderful times visiting her farm.
FrenchTouch
Bijoudesign
littlelegwarmers
danwillig
Awesome! I'm working on an interactive story quilt for my MFA thesis. I'm planning on embedding technology into the quilt that will help the quilt to function similarly to a pop-up book. Post a comment on my blog to let me know what you think or if you have some advice. http://dwillig.wordpress.com/
jen888
My Mom, Georgina Fries makes beautiful quilts, many with 1930s vintage fabric. So her quilts look old-fashioned, but they are actually newly created. The 1930s fabric is getting harder and harder to find. So if you're willing to sell some, just let me know. She belongs to an Antique Quilt Study Group and loves their shared discoveries. She's almost 70, went white water rafting on the Gauley River class 5 rapids. The river guide told her she was the oldest rafter all season, "most gals YOUR age are home quilting."
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Great article! As someone inspired so much by the history of American quilts it led me to begin quilting too. I find it so relaxing and enjoyable. Your items are all so wonderful, thank you! xxx