PART I - Quilting Roots

     History, in particular Mr. Webster, tells us that the original definition of a quilt (noun) was "a kind of mattress"; this has now changed to, "a bed coverlet of two layers of cloth filled with padding (as down or batting) held in place by ties or stitched designs".  On the other hand, the verb "quilt" means, "to stitch or sew in layers with padding in between".  

     Our early ancestors, those who made their homes in caves, dressed and covered themselves with the skins of animals.  At night, our kinfolk needed additional warmth as they slept, so they layered skins together somehow, and unknowingly laid the foundation for quilting.

     As Americans, we often assume that the patchwork quilt is an early American craft/product.  Actually, though, the patchwork quilt is a merging of the oldest forms of decorative handwork known.  Patchwork was used by early Egyptians for their clothes, wall decorations, draperies, and even furniture.  Upon further investigation, we find that the knights of the middle ages wore quilted jackets, called "gambesons", to protect their bodies.

     The utilization of animal skins was convenient and warm, but soon, people began to want something softer, lighter in weight, and more beautiful.  This could not be achieved until the possibilities in flax and wool were explored through experimentation, thereby bringing about spinning and weaving.  Once this was accomplished, the next step seemed natural:  Instead of plain stitches to hold the layers together, stitches in patterns were used.

     Before tapestry was known, the great halls of Europe were decorated with quilted pictures.  These early forms of quilted wallhangings were eventually replaced by embroidered pictures, then tapestries.  Quilting held its own as for bed clothes and curtains, though.  

     Hopefully, this section of the article has been informative and comments to this article are definitely appreciated!

PART II - Quilted Clothing

     The "Spanish Bombast Period" was from approximately 1545 to 1620 A.D.  During this time, quilting was used on some  of the finest costumes to be found in any land.  The early history of the patchwork quilt is of the development of work that had been undertaken in Europe in the mid-sixteenth to early seventeenth centuries.  Bombast style clothing was definitely in vogue, as the clothing was so heavily ornamented with jewels that the clothes were instantly eye-catching and very appealing.  Because of the weight of the jewels, it was necessary to have a number of layers of fabric to support them.  These layers were quilted to hold them all together, and many times, the costumes were quilted and/or embroidered in gold and where the stitches crossed, studded pearls and other fine gems were attached.

     There are many beautiful examples of quilted petticoats that were worn from the early part of the 18th century to the latter part.  For the most part, the overskirt hid the petticoats almost entirely, except for a narrow panel down the front that was designed specifically to allow one to catch a glimpse of the artisan's craftwork beneath.  These historical, wearable artifacts can be found in modern museums today.

     Quilted clothing has not gone out of style!  There is much evidence of quilted clothes worn in the winter in China and Japan.  In France, the peasant women of some of the districts wear quilted petticoats still, and in Holland, several of the quilted petticoats are worn at the same time.  Here in America, quilted garments can be found in many forms, from coats and jackets to evening wear.  Even sports uses quilted garments for protection, such as in hockey, football, or any sporting game where the player or umpire needs a quilted shield.  A very popular quilted garment is a vest.  There are many patterns available on the market.  They're fast, easy to make, gorgeous, and can let a quilter show his/her magnificent creativity.

     Hopefully, this section of the article has been informative and comments to this article are definitely appreciated!

PART III - The Bridal Quilt

     What do you think of when you hear the term "spinster"?  An old maid?  An older, unmarried lady?  A female of an age that it is doubtful to marry?  A woman who is too set in her ways to be marriage material?  Any of these... or perhaps a combination of these?

     The truth of the matter is that the word, "spinster" originally applied to young girls who were still spinning the flax that would be woven into the linen for their dower chests (sometimes called "hope chests" now).  Having a dower chest completed before entering into marriage is a centuries old tradition, but really became popular in the mid-1950's in the USA.  Most chests were wooden, with ornate carvings or paintings on them.  Some were cedar chests (I still have mine!) or even metal foot lockers.  The amount of time it would take to spin and weave enough table and bed linen and piece enough quilts with which to start housekeeping was enormous.  This is why girls began working on their dower chests from early on in their young lives, as this was a huge portion of her dowery.  A "good" bride would have no less than 12 of her best quilts pieced and ready for the frame and finishing for her chest when the time came for her to wed. 

     The very best of the quilts in the dower chest was referred to as the "bride's quilt".  These quilts were especially beautiful.  By the time a young girl got around to making this special quilt, she had had plenty of practice on the rest of her quilts.  She knew which colors and patterns she loved the most.  She had probably planned and discarded many ideas before making her final decision.  In fact, you might say that the first 10 or so quilts were her "practice" quilts leading up to the biggie, the bridal quilt.

     When the time came to finish all of the quilts, the young lady would invite friends, family, and neighbors to a central location to quilt her pieced tops.  This was often referred to as a "quilting bee" and it was as much of a formal announcement of an engagement as if it had been published in the local newspaper.  These "quilting bee" events were seen as entertainment and provided occasions for other things (pot luck dinners, barn raisings, etc.).  Although quilting bees are considered a purely American tradition for a form of entertainment, today groups of women who come together quite regularly to quilt in the northern regions of England call themselves, "quilting clubs".  Quilting clubs in the USA are also popping up everywhere (and have been for many years), mostly via quilt shops, but also online. 

     In essence, bridal quilts gave people excuses to gather together to socialize, while at the same time helping to provide a dowery for her upcoming marriage.  A quilting bee is a tradition that I have sadly not had the pleasure of participating in, but hope to one day!  I would definitely want to practice on my quilting skills first, though.  :)

     Today, antique bridal quilts are very valuable.  And high quality quilts are difficult, but not impossible, to find.  These quilts can be found in museums and private collections.

     Hopefully, this section of the article has been informative and comments to this article are definitely appreciated!

PART IV - Album Quilts

     Traditionally speaking, "album quilts" were parting quilts made for a minister's wife when the minister accepted another position in a different church, then moved.  The ladies of the church would come together and make one block each, from her own material (stash!) and sign with her name.  The block usually contained a Bible verse, as well.

     Often, men's names can be found on antique album quilts, so not all of the blocks in a quilt were signed by the makers themselves.  Men who wished to be remembered by the clergyman and his wife would persuade a female relative to do the work.

     Today, album quilts are sometimes called "signature quilts".  Although a part of our quilting heritage for a long time, album quilts are now not specifically designated as a parting quilt for a minister's wife, but are seen as a going away gift for someone or to simply leave as a legacy.

     There are many variations of the traditional album blocks, but all hold one element in common:  A place for a signature.  As we step into the future with technology, however, album blocks take on new meaning.  Scanned handprints, photo blocks, special graphics... all add to the enrichment of an album block.

     One can only imagine the many smiles that an album quilt brought to a minister's wife, long after she had left her husband's flock.  These quilts were held in high esteem and she considered herself blessed to have received one!

     Hopefully, this section of the article has been informative and comments to this article are definitely appreciated!

PART V - Memory Quilts

    Unfortunately, quilts are not always made for joyous occasions.  For example, memory quilts. The underlying idea of a memory quilt was to create a quilt that would remind the makers of their dearly departed loved one.  Many times, this quilt was made from the clothing of the deceased person.  Each friend/relative made a block for the quilt, but traditionally, the center of the quilt was left blank.  After the quilt top was completed, the center was then embellished with information regarding the loved one, such as full name, birth date, birth place, etc.  This information was usually outlined in some type of embroidery stitch.

      With the advancement of modern technology, memory quilts have become so much more today than in the past.  With the addition of photos, embroidery machines, fabric die cutters, and more, these quilts have gained the potential to become more eye-appealing than before.  Which, if you think about it, is a bit morbid, since it is a memory quilt in honor of a dead loved one.  I can, however, understand the desire to make the quilt as beautiful as possible; you would absolutely want the quilt to best represent the memories you possess of the loved one!

     Hopefully, this section of the article has been informative and comments to this article are definitely appreciated!

PART VI - Friendship Quilts

     Although the true roots of the idea of a friendship quilt are not known, it is highly speculated that the friendship quilt was born during the time when young girls were making their dozen or so quilts for their dower chests. 

     As most quilters know, by the time we get to the end of making one quilt, we are getting pretty tired of working on it and are more than ready to see it complete; now, imagine making a dozen!  Surely, young ladies during these times were bored with their own work and ready for a little variation.  As such, they would exchange pieces, patches, and blocks with their friends, of all different materials, hence making a friendship quilt.  Each piece of fabric and/or patch and/or block represented the friend and made the quilts all the more special.  This became a very popular tradition that continues today.

    Hopefully, this section of the article has been informative and comments to this article are definitely appreciated!

PART VII - Friendship Medley Quilts

     Out of the concept of friendship quilts was born the idea of friendship medley quilts.  These quilts were fun quilts that centered around two different social gatherings, or parties.  The first gathering occurred when a young girl in a region would decide upon a friendship medley surprise party for one of her friends.  One example for an occasion would be to declare this type of party when a mutual friend became engaged to be married.  The second gathering occurred after the quilt top was finished (the first party) and a quilting bee announced (this was traditionally done by the person receiving the quilt).  These types of parties could very well have been the forerunners to what we know as "showers" today.

     When a friendship medley quilt was made, special care was given so that no two blocks in the quilt were alike.  Sometimes the blocks were simply sewn together side-by-side, and sometimes they were put together with strips of other fabric (called a "set"), usually supplied by the party-giver.  By evening, the top was complete, and it was time for "supper".  Of course, what would a party be without inviting a few young men over to enjoy the feast?

     So, as you can see, the announcement of a friendship medley surprise party sparked excitement from the community.  It was viewed as part of the social network that provided events to keep the youngsters entertained, while accomplishing a set purpose at the same time!

     Hopefully, this section of the article has been informative and comments to this article are definitely appreciated!

PART VIII - Comfort Quilts

     "Comfort" is defined as "to give strength and hope to", "cheer", "to ease the grief or trouble of", "console".  Knowing this definition pretty much describes what comfort quilts are all about.  These quilts are made for someone that is in need of comfort, for one reason or another.  It could be illness, a death in the family, or any number of reasons.

     A comfort quilt can be made by one person to give to another, or a comfort quilt can be a group effort, where several quilters work together to make a quilt.  In 2003, I was diagnosed with multiple heart conditions and my online friends joined together and made me a beautiful comfort quilt.  Then, in 2007, I experienced multiple medical issues, a huge move, and a new job.  Again, several of my online friends got together and made me a comfort quilt, called "Spring Has Sprung".  It is absolutely gorgeous!  I think of them every time I snuggle underneath them... which is almost daily.  Comfort quilts make the recipient feel loved and special.  They are precious!  My comfort quilts are not in storage, either.  One is kept folded on my bed (I use it every night), the other is folded at one end of my sofa.  There is just an incredible feeling to being able to hold something tangible.  It is hard to truly describe the feeling!

     So, what types of people provide the comfort?  Comforters, of course!  And, according to Merriam-Webster, "comforter" has four definitions:  "HOLY SPIRIT", "One that gives comfort", "A long narrow, usually knitted neck scarf", and "A thick bed covering made of two layers of cloth containing a filling (as down)".  All of these definitions are very true for me.  And I know first-hand how wonderful it feels to be on the giving and receiving end (I've also contributed to numerous comfort quilts).  I have heard it said before that quilters are the most kind-hearted and generous people on this earth.  I believe it!

     Hopefully, this section of the article has been informative and comments to this article are definitely appreciated!

PART IX - Freedom Quilts

     When a young man entered into a marriage, he hopefully did not go in without a freedom quilt!  Freedom quilts were made by the girls a young man was acquainted with, upon the celebration of his twenty-first birthday.  Once married, this quilt was added to his bride's dower chest.  This type of quilt was put together much like a friendship quilt.

     We have to remember that long ago, entertainment and celebrations were limited:  Probably due to being so rural (distance-wise), the difficulties of planning a "party" while getting everyday chores done, etc.  These events usually lasted all day and evening; perhaps to give the horses time to rest or to make the entertainment worth the time it took for all of the preparations (including the travel time!).  It may have even appeared inhospitable to invite guests for just a short period of time.

     So, why is it called a "freedom" quilt?  Up until his twenty-first birthday, a young man was completely under his parent's thumb.  The parents had all authority; even to the point that they could dictate to him where to work, when to work, or what to do with any wages he might earn (even give it all to them for upkeep!).  So, when he turned 21, it was very special.  He became his own boss, you might say!  He had his freedom, legally.

     This may seem a strange tradition today, but a freedom quilt was expected to be added to a bride's dower chest.  The lack of one might have appeared to show that her groom had uncaring, or no, friends!
     Today, freedom quilts have entirely different meanings.  One of the most recent is to honor soldiers that have lost their lives fighting terrorism since 09/11/01.  This organization was founded by Betty Neilson from Fonda, IA.  To show my respect for the events of 09/11/01, I designed a paper-piece pattern of a flag, shown to the left.

     Freedom quilts (teacher's resource!) were also used as secret maps used by slaves in what is currently the USA to escape slavery.  Each block signified a special meaning.  Freedom quilts also have numerous other meanings that can be researched on the Internet (please use Quilting Passion Organization as the charity!).  Amazon.com, as well as numerous other resources, also has many books based upon freedom quilts.

     Hopefully, this section of the article has been informative and comments to this article are definitely appreciated!

     This also concludes this entire journey on the early history of types of quilts.  Published historical quilting articles include:
 

	Beginnings of Quilting
	History of Planning a Quilt
	White Quilts