Original "patchwork" quilts
 

I do think some utilitarian quilts in the past (those made for the hired man or hired girl) were definitely made out of "whatever" - and there were some that tried to make even those somewhat attractive by arranging the pieces in a pleasing arrangement.

Then i think there were some that just put pieces of fabric together until it was (barely) big enough to cover someone.

Thoughts?

I think you are correct. My belief is that quilting had it's beginning from the waste not/want not generations. People from the past utilized everything they could. Clothing with holes still has some good fabric that wasn't thrown away as it is today. The idea of buying fabric and cutting it up to make a quilt would have women of the past aghast. This is why you may find vintage quilts with a variety of textures. It was simply usable fabric turned into something of use in another way. And we think recycling is something new!!!

I will never forget the huge polyester double knit quilt that my grandmother made from scraps that she had leftover from making her pantsuits. It was extremely heavy and I am certain that it will last forever.

I do think some women used to buy yardage for quilts, not just scraps. Of course most of the quilts made during the Depression were scraps. But I have an old book (my first quilt book actually, bought second hand), published in 1964, that focuses on quilts made from 1840's to about 1920's. Most of the quilts are made from only three or four fabrics. The quilts are different sizes than what we generally make today, like 70"x85" being a "queen", so I guess the beds were smaller back then too.

I once read an account of a young teenage girl in 1936 who bought a quilt pattern and all the fabrics brand new for $6. She must have been rich!

I also think some people did buy fabric for "special" quilts.

I think it depends on the esthetics and the means of the quilter. Just like now, some quilters were artistic and some just needed to keep their families warm. Some had the money to buy fabric and others collected old clothes. Same variety as today, (except today quilting has become an industry).

Some of the coziest quilts I have made are from cotton men's shirts I have cut up. Even with that fabric, one can be artistic.

A generalization I think, the museums are stuffed with quilts using fabrics purchased for specific quilts made by quilters from all income strata.

Utility quilts on the other hand, yes, everything when into the pot. Waggas from Australia are great examples and bedroll quilts used by horse soldiers and cowboys. My grandmother fostered dozens of children and her utility quilts were made from mens suiting fabrics, garnered from who knows where. Backed with pajama flannel, Tied with red yarn, her signature. No binding, front and back were turned in 1/2" and seamed shut.

My grandmothers both had, and used, "quilts" which were wool blankets covered with large patches of a variety of cottons, some floral, some striped. Not pretty patchwork patterns, but a way of creating something a bit pretty while using every scrap they had. Still being used when I was a kid (50's/60's)
These were around WW2, every thing on ration in the UK. My mother told me she even knitted a sweater from darning wool since that was not on ration.