American quilting tradition has always included a reflection of current events, whether it is in the maker's personal life or the nation as a whole. Quilting has been a past time and necessity of women for hundred of years. As immigrants made their way from their old countries to the new world, their traditions of quilting followed them. Eventually, these separate styles and traditions melded together and eventually evolved to form a new American tradition: patchwork quilts.
Historians and collectors alike can track American political and economic histories through quilts. Fabric types, colors and patterns can tell us whether or not the nation was prosperous and whether or not there was a strong political movement the maker was involved in. before the industrial revolution changed fabric production, every scrap was precious. All homes had a scrap bag. It is believed that this is how patchwork pieces used for quilts came about.
In the beginning, patchwork was haphazard in design. Most times quilt were sewn together with no real pattern, only warmth, in mind. Soon, though, different patterns evolved. Life events, such as marriages and births, were recorded with the needle. Landscapes and gardens, family traditions, holidays and even states were celebrated described in quilts, much like hieroglyphs or murals described events and stories for other cultures. Political events, such as presidencies, wars, and unionization were commemorated with quilts. Before women's suffrage gave women the right to vote, quilts were their political platform.
Styles in red, white and blue, much like the Patchwork Heritage quilts used today were sewn in celebration of political pride. Most people think of quilts as just bed coverings. But to so many before us, they were a way to make a strong and lasting statement. In fact, the words spoken hundreds of years ago through quilts are still heard today.
The Patchwork Heritage quilt created by Blanket America is carrying on the tradition of America
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