BCM

If there are historians out there, please share with me the history of quilting. Maybe the answer is already on the Board and I don't know where to look. I am asking because as I look at the announcement of different shows, etc., I become aware that few are in deep south. I just thought if history of quilting were traced, it would be embedded in the deep south. I look forward to any response. Thank you.

peaceandjoy

Some of the sites I've bookmarked for future reference:
http://www.quiltersbee.com/ (scroll down on left for quilt history)
http://www.womenfolk.com/
http://www.quilting-in-america.com/H...of-Quilts.html

PaperPrincess

Are you looking for the history of quilting, or the history of quilting in America?

quilter2090

I have a question, why would you assume that quilting started in the deep south? Since quilts were made to keep people warm in unheated houses, I guess I would assume that quiltmaking was more popular in the north, since it is much colder there. It will be interesting see if anyone knows.

EllieGirl

I google everything! Here is info about the history of quilting....dating back as far as the crusades!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_quilting

BCM

Thank you peaceandjoy and EllieGirl. Sometimes I awe myself with my ignorance of internet use. PaperPrincess, at first I was just interested in America, but now find myself filled with more curiosity about the quilt.

Jan in VA

Quilting appeared in all of the original 13 colonies; you could say the history of quilting in America started in Great Britain.

Jan in VA

Sierra

A couple of months ago we had a lecturer at our Guild who talked about the history of quilting. Of course, being me, I don't remember details like where it started, but it seems the first inroads towards quilting was mending, patching torn garments. People being people (women being women) some one decided that if it had to be patched it should/could be done in an in-you-face pretty way. It probably didn't take long before patches took over. Think how many blankets would be made if you could only use one fabric, and how many could be made if you could use several fabrics in one blanket. There have been a lot written about this subject, and I suspect you could google "history of quilting" and find out a lot.

Borntohandquilt

The history of quilting is (as far as I know and read) older than 5000 years. The origin is not exactly known but it seemed to be very common in the Far and Near East at that times. It is most likely that the Crusaders brought it to Europe in the 11th and 12th century and it was used in many countries.
I read several books especially about the British Quilt history and what I found most interesting is the fact that quilting - better to say patchwork or piecing - was not only used for reasons of economy and poverty. Quilts made of silk and other very expensive materials were a priviledge and reserved for the rich and wealthy people. According to D. Osler's "Traditional British Quilts" quilts found their way into cottages and cabins of the poorer people in the middle of the 18th century first!
The history of quilting in it's entirety is very complex and multilayered. Fortunately there are still several books written by quilt historians with different focuses and although many of them are already out of print you can find them in second hand book stores or through the internet. For me as an European wholecloth and hand quilter the British history is very interesting because Britain was and is one of the main countries where wholecloths were and are still made.

My own country Germany never had a widespread quilting tradition but for some reasons I feel very connected to the British tradition. I love to use the traditional methods of quiltmaking like hand quilting, hand sewing, needlemarking, making my own templates of cardboard etc.

ckcowl

history of quilting is (embedded) in Europe-
the deep south did not really have alot of (need) for quilts- since they were created for *warmth*---so here in the USA the North Atlantic Seaboard, pilgrims & pioneers made quilts --- out of what ever scraps they could accumilate---to keep their families warm
there is a very good DVD series (available from the American Quilter's Society) that was shown as a mini-series on PBS stations
also visit the Lincoln Nebraska Quilt Museum website- there is alot of history on their site-along with lots of examples of quilts 200+ years old.