Patchwork quilt

A patchwork quilt is a quilt in which the top layer consists of pieces of fabric sewn together to form a design. The quilting design does not necessarily follow the patchwork design.

Originally, this was to make full use of left-over scraps of fabric, but now fabric is often bought specially for a specific design. Fabrics are now often sold in quarter meters. (A "fat quarter" is one square meter folded into four and cut along the folds, thus giving a square piece of fabric 50 cm on a side, as opposed to buying a quarter of a meter off the roll, resulting in a long thin piece that is only 25cm wide).

Designs can be geometric and formal or imaginative.

The quilt is formed of three layers: the patchwork, a layer of insulation wadding (batting) and a layer of backing material. These three layers are stitched together (i.e., quilted), either by hand or machine. The quilting can either outline the patchwork motifs, or be a completely independent design.

History

Quilting was a very popular early American pastime, particularly in the Midwest, where quilting circles were a common social pastime for women. Annual town fairs generally included a quilting bee, to award excellence in quilting. Handmade quilts were a very common wedding gift for young couples, and were often mentioned specifically in wills due to their sentimental significance. It was not uncommon, in early American culture, for quilts to reflect a mosaic of a woman's life, often including swatches of material from memorable events such as pieces of a wedding gown or a child's baptismal garment. The Amish people are famous for their geometric patchwork designs with independent patterns and quilting; typical motifs include floral designs and heart shapes.The Amish and Mennonite women of the Pennsylvania Dutch country have been creating exquisite quilted masterpieces since the mid-1800s (and some believe even earlier). Amish quilts are an expression of frugality. They not only serve a practical, functional purpose, but serve as a form of entertainment as well.

In 1934, Carl Carmer published this list of quilt patterns mastered by "Mattie Sue" who was required by her parents in rural northeast Alabama to complete one hundred quilts before being married:

Garden of Eden Circle Saw Joseph's Coat Star of Bethlehem Golden Gates Solomon's Crown Tree of Paradise Solomon's Temple Art Square The Cross Forbidden Fruit Tree Lady of the Lake Wonder of the World Air Castle Wheel of Fortune Love Rose Charm Friendship Quilt Lover's Links True Lover's Knot Old Tippecanoe Lincoln's Platform Wedding Knot Democrat Rose Radical Rose Harrison's Rose Handy Andy Hobson's Kiss Whig Rose Joseph's Necktie Old Maid's Puzzle Widower's Choice Necktie Churn Dash Baseball Ice Cream Bowl Sugar Loaf Log Cabin Drunkard's Path All Tangled Up Old Bachelor's Puzzle Hairpin Catcher Hearts & Gizzards The Road to California Aunt Sulky's Patch Crosses and Losses Tangled Garters Swinging Corners Odds and Ends Bed Time Devil's Claws Economy

In 1987 in San Francisco, the Names Project commenced as a memorial to the lives of people who died from AIDS and related diseases with quilt panels made by loved ones. Also known as the AIDS Quilt, it grew to comprise many thousands of panels, and spawned similar projects in countries around the globe. In later years, other subject- and event-specific community-based quilts have been created.

Colorwash quilting

This is a non-traditional method of quilting which uses small blocks of color to achieve the look of a watercolor painting. There is no fixed pattern. Fabrics are chosen for their hue and tone.

References

*Carmer, Carl (1934). "Stars Fell on Alabama." New York: The Literary Guild.

Further reading

*Ferrero, Pat, Elaine Hedges, and Julie Silber. "Hearts and Hands: The Influence of Women & Quilts on American Society". Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, Tennessee, 1987.
*Hedges, Elaine, Pat Ferrero, and Julie Silber. "Hearts and Hands: Women, Quilts, and American Society". Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, Tennessee, 1996.
*Kiracofe, Roderick, and Mary Elizabeth Johnson. "The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950", Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., New York, 1993.

External links

* [http://www.eqc.nl/ European Quilt Championships]
* [http://www.womenfolk.com/historyofquilts/ America's Quilting History]
* [http://www.quiltalliance.org/index1.html/ The Alliance For American Quilts]
* cite web |publisher= Victoria and Albert Museum
url= http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/textiles/stories/military_quilt/index.html
title= Military Quilt
work=Textiles
accessdate= 2008-07-01