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.
Sign up for notification of another chapter....there's Always more
to say about quilts and hand quilting!!
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!
