Hand Quilting is not just a hobby

As you get to know me, you'll realize I can't write without adding a little history to anything I'm talking about. My friends and family know that when we would drive by a building or an area that I know, I'll always start with “did you know...” and begin to tell them the history of that building, or who used to own that land and what business operated by who...I Love history. I narrow it down to the 1800's into the turn of the century. Most of what I research and read about are about people. Not the genealogy, although my friends take care of that aspect and I go on to read and write about the 'why'. Why the families staked out that piece of land, what they did with it, their history.


When this blog was 'built', I drew a blank. What in the world would I write about? I would visit blogs and oh, my,...they're beautiful, artistic, full of beautiful pictures and handcrafted works of art. More like diaries of people. I would end up reading and reading THEIR blogs and still....drawing a blank on mine. You wouldn't be interested in My life and there's no way I would write as if my blog was a diary to the public domain.


I belong to a Facebook group. As soon as I get permission from the owner of that page to disclose the name of that page, I will. During the past ten years, my life has been a roller coaster just as most of yours has been. Nothing new there. No better and no worse. But, I found that even if I've retired from the labors of hand quilting, my passion hasn't left me. I found that out by joining this group and reading the posts and comments and the passion these people, men and women, have for their hand quilting.


Lo and behold, I found that nagging feeling in my stomach. The urge to get back in to the quilting world in some form. The damage to my body can't be fixed and I'm alright with that. I can't quilt anymore, not the way I used to, but...I CAN help with the questions and where to start, how to.


When I taught hand quilting classes, it was such a joy to see the faces when they realized, Yes, they CAN do it! It's not rocket science, it's patience. Then, the skill comes in to play. Practice, practice, practice...going to Carnegie Hall. WE didn't invent hand quilting, but, we're carrying on the Art of hand quilting. I retired about 2001 and I can't believe how far in that time that quilting has come. Which is where I come in to the fray. (I put myself in the fray) Because there are so many beautiful quilts out there and so many competitions with hand quilting it can be Very daunting to the beginner. Having said that, I decided to write about the early quilters. What they had to deal with, to work with and work it into modern day equipment and, hopefully, help others feel the joy in the process of hand work.


In the beginning-
Most of the hand quilting started in the European countries. In the 'new world' there were quilts, yes, but most were made in a rough fashion for warmth for the families. There was no time for the pretty quilts, especially when the country was being formed and there were no stores, nor money for the materials. Times were harsh for these settlers and material/fabric was a luxury item. Every scrap was used for clothing, re-used and then, if there was a little scrap left, it was put in the scrap bag for a quilt. The designs for these quilts were slightly limited because there were very few designs to use at the time. Remember, these designs were made up by the women themselves. Some had enough imagination to see the beauty in a building, barn or just a roof-line and sketch it out and try to reproduce that design in their quilts. These were traded back and forth with friends and families. One of the favorites was the Log Cabin and along with that the Rail Fence. The log cabin quilt depicted the actual log cabin. The center of this block was usually red fabric to symbolize the fireplace, the hearth the Heart of the home. The logs were sewn around that 'heart' of the home.

The picture is a log cabin made with wool and homespun, tied with yarn. There wasn't the luxury of time to hand quilt for utility quilts for the beds. Very few quiet nights to do that, they needed to get them finished quickly before winter came. The next time you buy that three yards of yummy fabric, remember the ladies who had to shear those sheep, comb the wool, spin and make into a piece of homespun or Lindsey-woolsey to make the garment and HOPE to have enough for a scrap for the quilt.


Of course, this wasn't the very First quilt, but this is the background/history of that particular block. Most of the blocks have a history behind them, why was it designed the way it was, how has it evolved to meet Our needs and talents.
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I'll get into the hand quilting process...I just had to get his started and of course, that meant some HISTORY to get an image of what life was like and why we do what we do best...HAND QUILT!