Patchwork quilt
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A patchwork quilt is a quilt in which the top layer consists of pieces of fabric sewn together to form a design. The quilting design does not necessarily follow the patchwork design.
Originally, this was to make full use of left-over scraps of fabric, but now fabric is often bought specially for a specific design. Fabrics are now often sold in quarter meters. (A "fat quarter" is one square meter folded into four and cut along the folds, thus giving a square piece of fabric 50 cm on a side, as opposed to buying a quarter of a meter off the roll, resulting in a long thin piece that is only 25cm wide).
Designs can be geometric and formal or imaginative.
The quilt is formed of three layers: the patchwork, a layer of insulation wadding (batting) and a layer of backing material. These three layers are stitched together ("quilted"), either by hand or machine. The quilting can either outline the patchwork motifs, or be a completely independent design.
Contents |
[edit] History
 |
The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. |
Quilting was a very popular early American pastime, particularly in the Midwest, where quilting circles were a common social pastime for women. Annual town fairs generally included a quilting bee, to award excellence in quilting. Handmade quilts were a very common wedding gift for young couples, and were often mentioned specifically in wills due to their sentimental significance. It was not uncommon, in early American culture, for quilts to reflect a mosaic of a woman's life, often including swatches of material from memorable events such as pieces of a wedding gown or a child's baptismal garment. The Amish people are famous for their geometric patchwork designs with independent patterns and quilting; typical motifs include floral designs and heart shapes. The Amish and Mennonite women of the Pennsylvania Dutch country have been creating exquisite quilted masterpieces since the mid-19th century (and some believe even earlier). Amish quilts are an expression of frugality. They not only serve a practical, functional purpose, but serve as a form of entertainment as well.
In 1987 in San Francisco, the Names Project commenced as a memorial to the lives of people who died from AIDS and related diseases with quilt panels made by loved ones. Also known as the AIDS Quilt, it grew to comprise many thousands of panels, and spawned similar projects in countries around the globe. In later years, other subject- and event-specific community-based quilts have been created.
[edit] Colorwash quilting
This non-traditional method of quilting uses small blocks of color to achieve the look of a watercolor painting where there is no fixed pattern. Fabrics are chosen for their hue and tone.
[edit] References
- Carmer, Carl (1934). Stars Fell on Alabama. New York: The Literary Guild.
[edit] Further reading
- Ferrero, Pat, Elaine Hedges, and Julie Silber. Hearts and Hands: The Influence of Women & Quilts on American Society. Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, Tennessee, 1987.
- Hedges, Elaine, Pat Ferrero, and Julie Silber. Hearts and Hands: Women, Quilts, and American Society. Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, Tennessee, 1996.
- Kiracofe, Roderick, and Mary Elizabeth Johnson. The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950, Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., New York, 1993.
[edit] External links
- European Quilt Championships
- America's Quilting History
- The Alliance For American Quilts
- "Military Quilt". Textiles. Victoria and Albert Museum. http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/textiles/stories/military_quilt/index.html. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
- Patchwork Gallery
|
||||||||||||||||
