History of quilting
The history of quilting, the stitching together of layers of padding and fabric, may date back as far as 3400 BCE.
[2]: 88 In Europe, quilting appears to have been introduced by Crusaders in the 12th century (Colby 1971) in the form of the aketon or gambeson, a quilted garment worn under armour which later developed into the doublet, which remained an essential part of fashionable men's clothing for 300 years until the early 1600s.
The oldest surviving example of a quilted piece is a linen carpet found in a Mongolian cave, dated to between 100 BCE and 200 CE.
The three layers are held together via quilting stitches worked by hand, in an age before sewing machines were marketed.
Once the passengers were safely on shore, the galleon "Angel Gabriel", moored in Pemaquid Bay, was completely destroyed when the Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635 rushed up the coast from Naragansett, Rhode Island, leaving the ship as just a mass of floating debris after it was hit with the strongest winds ever recorded.
It was made by the wife of Reverend Thomas Buckingham, one of the founders of Yale University, and passed down through nine generations.
[11] A more complete survey is needed to compare all of the wholecloth quilts held in the many museum locations who have collected such textiles.
For example, stuffing placed inside the quilted outline of a feather or flower makes the design stands out.
Broderie perse refers to the technique of cutting motifs from printed fabric and appliquéing them onto a solid background.
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.
Changes came about as progress in technology deeply affected the number and styles of quilts made during the middle years of the 19th century.
This meant women no longer had to spend time spinning and weaving to provide fabric for their family's needs.
Quilts connected to the abolitionist movement and the Civil War were made for a cause, many representing the relevant flag.
Women sometimes put anti-slavery poems and sayings on the quilts they made for fairs as well as for friends and family.
In fact, the only reference for these underground railroad quilts is a single book (Hidden in Plain View by JACQUELINE L. TOBIN and RAYMOND G. DOBARD) written over 120 years after the war.
Women on both sides were very active in raising money for the war effort and making quilts and other bed coverings for soldiers.
Before long, fabric was almost impossible to obtain so women had to spin and weave before they could sew a bed covering together.
The English Victorian influence was slightly delayed in the United States because of the Civil War and its aftermath.
Amish quilts are appreciated for their bold graphic designs, distinctive colour combinations, and exceptional stitching.
Quilting became a favoured activity of the Anabaptist sect after emigrating to the United States and Canada from Germany and Switzerland over 250 years ago.
[12] Often these quilts provide the only decoration in a simply furnished home and they also were commonly used for company or to show wealth.
Quilts are created for everyday use or to celebrate special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, raising funds for the church or community cause.
Since the "English" (the name for non-Amish people) discovered Amish work in the late 1960s, quilting has become a source of income for many.
Fancy stitches were sewn along the seams and often, embroidered motifs were added, including flowers, birds and sometimes a spider and web for good luck.
These simple, organic quilts were seldom used as bed-coverings, instead they were made smaller and without batting to be used as decorative throws.
[13] Contemporary quilting has evolved to include a broad range of functional, decorative and artistic styles that incorporate ever-expanding techniques and tools.
Many quilters have experimented with creating or dyeing their own fabrics, incorporating experimental materials into their designs and conceptually challenging the notion of what quilting is or should be.
