History of quilting

Quilting did not originate in America, nor was it even common in America until the early 19th century. Quilted fabric is as old as ancient Egypt if not older and wholecloth quilts were very common trade goods in wealthy circles in Europe and Asia going back as far as the 15th centuries. The making of pieced quilts made up of cut pieces of fabric sewn together in a given pattern is a much more recent development. Pieced quilts, often called patchwork, did not become the dominant form of quilting until the mid-19th century, and still is not the traditional form in Provence, Wales, and parts of India.

In this article piecing refers to as the sewing together of fabric to create the quilt top. Quilting refers to the stitching the three layers of fabric together; the top, batting (also called wadding) in the center and the fabric backing.

Quilting at the dawn of the nineteenth century

Quilt making was uncommon in America in the late eighteenth century and early years of the nineteenth. Most women were busy spinning, weaving and sewing in order to clothe their family. Commercial blankets were a more economical bedcovering for most people. Only the wealthy had the leisure time for quilt making.

Obviously quilts were not made of left over scraps or worn clothing as a humble bedcovering. Instead they were decorative items that displayed the fine needlework of the maker.

Whole cloth quilts, broderie perse and medallion quilts were the styles of quilts made during the early 1800s.

Whole cloth quilts

Quilts made of a solid piece of fabric are referred to as Whole Cloth Quilts. The three layers of top, batting and backing were quilted together. The quilting itself became the decoration.

Both wool and cotton solid color quilts and white quilts were made during this period. The white ones are sometimes called "whitework".

A few were made with a simple overall quilting design but many were works of art with beautiful quilting including feathers, flowers and other natural motifs. Some were made even more exquisite by a method called trapunto. Trapunto is the technique of slipping extra stuffing into certain areas of a quilt to bring out the quilting in that area. For example trapunto can make the area inside a feather or flower making that part of the quilt a little thicker. Women were proud of fine and even quilt stitches in these quilts

Broderie perse quilts

Broderie perse refers to the applique of cut out motifs from printed fabric onto a solid background. This form of quilt making has been done since the 18th century. The popular printed fabric during this period was chintz imported from India.

Printed fabric was expensive even for those who were well off. By cutting out birds, flowers and other motifs from printed fabric and sewing them onto a large homespun cloth a beautiful bedspread could be made. The technique was also used on some early medallion quilts as in the example linked below.

Broderie Perse bedcoverings were usually used on the best bed or sometimes only when guests were staying in the home. See a beautiful example of broderie perse at the Quilt Index

Medallion quilts

Medallion quilts are made around a center. The center was sometimes a solid piece of large scale fabric like a toile or a Tree of Life, an appliqued motif or a large pieced star or other pieced pattern. The central area was surrounded by two or more borders. Although some borders were solid, many were pieced or appliqued.

View an example of a framed medallion style quilt at the Quilt Indexand another medallion quilt also from the Quilt Index. Be sure to click on the pictures for a more detailed view.

Changes in quiltmaking during the mid nineteenth century

Progress in technology deeply affected the number and styles of quilts made during the middle years of the 1800s.

The industrial revolution brought about the most dramatic change as textiles came to be manufactured on a broad scale. This meant women no longer had to spend time spinning and weaving to provide fabric for their family’s needs. By the 1840s the textile industry had grown to the point that commercial fabrics were affordable to almost every family. As a result quilt making became widespread.

A great variety of cotton prints could be bought for the making of clothing and even specifically for making a quilt. Although scraps left over from dressmaking and other sewing projects were used in quilt making, it is a myth that quilts were always made from scraps and worn out clothing. Examining pictures of quilts found in museums we quickly see that many quilts were made with fabric bought specifically for that quilt.

Another major shift was in the style of quilts made. Although a few earlier quilts were made in the block style, quilts made up of blocks were uncommon until around the 1840s. With so many fabrics being manufactured quilters could create their blocks with a delightful variety of fabrics.

Some block style quilts were made of a set of identical pieced blocks while others contained a variety of blocks made with different patterns. The blocks were sewn together and a border may or may not have been added.

During this period the invention and availability of the sewing machine contributed to quilt making. In 1856 The Singer company started the installment plan so that more families could afford a sewing machine. By the 1870s a good many households owned a sewing machine.

This affected quilt making in two ways. First of all women could make clothing for their family in much less time leaving more time for quilt making and secondly they could use their sewing machines to make all or part of their quilts. More often the sewing machine was used to piece quilts but occasionally the quilting was done with the sewing machine.

Two types of signature quilts

One significant type of quilt made during this period were signature quilts. Indelible ink was available after 1840 making it possible to not only sign a quilt but to add inscriptions including poetry, personal messages or other information. The more elaborate autographs and inscriptions are seen most often in quilts made before the Civil War.

We refer to quilts in which all the blocks were the same pattern as friendship quilts. Often each person made a block and signed it. Other times one person made the quilt then each person signed a block. Sometimes a person with exceptional handwriting inscribed all the signatures. There was no single way that friendship quilts were made.

Friendship quilts had special meaning for those who were traveling westward as they could look at the quilt and remember friends and family left behind.

The other kind of autograph quilt was the album quilt that consisted of several unique quilt blocks. More often these album blocks were appliquéd while the friendship quilts were usually made up of pieced blocks. The most elegant of thes album autograph quilts were Baltimore album quilts.

Baltimore album quilts originated in Baltimore, Maryland in the 1840s. These album quilts of lovely appliquéd blocks were sometimes designed by the maker though in time patterns by accomplished designers were used as the popularity of this quilt style spread. They reflected the prosperous community of Baltimore as most were made not with scraps but with new fabric. These quilts are made up of a number of squares called blocks. The designs are often floral, but many other motifs are also used, such as eagles and landmarks.

Take a tour of authentic Baltimore Album quilts at the the Maryland Historical Society.

Quilting for the cause during the Civil War era

There were many years and events leading up to the American Civil War. First quilts were made to raise funds to support the abolitionist movement then during the Civil War quilts were made to earn money for the war effort and to give warmth and comfort to soldiers. The patterns were much like those made mid-century but the purpose was different. Quilts connected to the abolitionist movement and the Civil War were made for a cause.

The movement to free the slaves and the role of quilts

Even before 1930 abolitionists were working hard to end slavery. One way they did this was to hold grand fairs to raise both awareness and money for the abolitionist cause. Quilts were one of many craft pieces sold at these fairs. These quilts were usually fine quilts often with beautiful appliqué. Women sometimes put anti-slavery poems and sayings on the quilts they made for fairs as well as for friends and family. The goal was to show the terrible plight of the slaves.

Some abolitionists were active in the Underground Railroad helping runaway slaves get to safety. There are stories that certain quilts were used as signals to help the slaves in their flight to freedom. The idea that a log cabin quilt would be hung on the line of a safe house was one. More recent stories tell of certain quilts being used to tell the slaves what they needed to do to get to safely. This all sounds quite romantic but there is no historic evidence that quilts were ever used in this way. But we do know that a valiant effort was made by both whites and free slaves to help these slaves to their destination.

Quilt historians have written about the lack of evidence that Quilts of the Underground Railroad were any more than stories that have caught our imagination.

Quilts to warm the soldiers and quilts to raise money for the war

Women on both sides were very active in raising money for the war effort and making quilts and other bedcoverings for soldiers.

In the north quilts were still made for fairs but now these fairs earned money to support needs that came about because of the war. In the south lovely quilts called gun boat quilts were made to pay for much needed gun boats.

But it wasn't long before it was obvious that soldiers on both sides would need blankets and quilts to give them warmth. In the north women either made quilts or remade quilts from bedcoverings. Since the cots were narrow two bedspreads could be made into three quilts for soldiers. The United States Sanitary Comission was in charge of collecting these quilts and distributing them.

In the south it was more difficult. Even though cotton was grown in the south it was manufactured into fabric in the north. Before long fabric was almost impossible to obtain so women had to spin and weave before they could sew together a bedcovering.

Needless to say most of the quilts made for soldiers on either side were made with practical patterns and fabric. Very few have survived to this day.

Sources and further reading

• 2004: Roderick Kiracofe, Mary Elizabeth Johnson. "The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950". Clarkson Potter. ISBN 1400080967.

• 1994: Laurel Horton (Editor). "Quiltmaking in America: Beyond the Myths". Rutledge Hill Press. ISBN 1558533192.

• 1995: by Sandi Fox. "For Purpose and Pleasure: Quilting Together in Nineteenth-Century America". Rutledge Hill Press. ISBN 1558533370.

• 1989: Barbara Brackman. "Clues in the Calico: A Guide to Identifying and Dating Antique Quilts". Howell Press Inc. ISBN 0939009277 .