Most quilts are prize possessions in families. They are handed down from generation to generation. If you are lucky enough to be the recipient of one of these treasures you know how unique and valuable they are. There are myths that surround this inherently American craft. Quilt museums and historians have done research to discover the truth behind some of the most popular myths.
To a large extent quilts shape our understanding of this country's beginnings. We imagine hard working Colonial women lovingly stitching bed covers from scraps of old clothes and remnants of discarded materials, underscoring the virtue of thrift. Many believe some quilts held secret messages during the period of slavery, offering instructions for runaway slaves hunting the Underground Railroad.
Scrap bags, where housewives keep bits of cloth leftover from sewing projects, may be a modern myth. This fits in with our view of colonists who had to use ingenuity and hard work to create everyday objects. The fact is that most of these early quilts were made from whole cloth. It was not your everyday fabric either. These quilts came from expensive imported fabric instead of scraps. Quilting from scraps didn't come into the picture until after the Industrial Revolution.
Most people assume that women made quilts in colonial times. It makes sense that they would sew quilts to keep their families warm. This apparently was a fairly rare phenomenon. Textiles were very expensive commodities during this time. Once industry technology advanced to the point that mass production brought the price of material down, it made economic sense to cut up fabric and then sew it together for another purpose.
Another common belief is that quilting is an activity exclusive to women. Even feminists have embraced the idea that quilts demonstrate the ability of women to make something out of nothing and to create a community through the common act of quilting. In fact, there are a number of men who are professional quilters and create unique quilting patterns. Their works are on view in museums along with their female counterparts.
Many believe quilting is an exclusively American craft. American quilting is distinctive and has characteristics that make it unique. There are designs early American quilters borrowed from England and France though. One of them is the mosaic patchwork pattern many quilters still use today. Mongolia is the site of some of the earliest quilted textiles. They have been traced back to the first century.
One of the most compelling myths regarding American quilts is the part they may have played in the Underground Railroad. Quilters were supposed to have sewn secret code into their projects that only those involved in the Underground Railroad understood. The codes gave instructions to runways heading north. Historians discount the story believing it to be started by an individual family.
Most people love quilts. They are reminders of a time long gone. The stories that have built up around them through the years may or may not be true. Either way people love the idea of the history they represent.
To a large extent quilts shape our understanding of this country's beginnings. We imagine hard working Colonial women lovingly stitching bed covers from scraps of old clothes and remnants of discarded materials, underscoring the virtue of thrift. Many believe some quilts held secret messages during the period of slavery, offering instructions for runaway slaves hunting the Underground Railroad.
Scrap bags, where housewives keep bits of cloth leftover from sewing projects, may be a modern myth. This fits in with our view of colonists who had to use ingenuity and hard work to create everyday objects. The fact is that most of these early quilts were made from whole cloth. It was not your everyday fabric either. These quilts came from expensive imported fabric instead of scraps. Quilting from scraps didn't come into the picture until after the Industrial Revolution.
Most people assume that women made quilts in colonial times. It makes sense that they would sew quilts to keep their families warm. This apparently was a fairly rare phenomenon. Textiles were very expensive commodities during this time. Once industry technology advanced to the point that mass production brought the price of material down, it made economic sense to cut up fabric and then sew it together for another purpose.
Another common belief is that quilting is an activity exclusive to women. Even feminists have embraced the idea that quilts demonstrate the ability of women to make something out of nothing and to create a community through the common act of quilting. In fact, there are a number of men who are professional quilters and create unique quilting patterns. Their works are on view in museums along with their female counterparts.
Many believe quilting is an exclusively American craft. American quilting is distinctive and has characteristics that make it unique. There are designs early American quilters borrowed from England and France though. One of them is the mosaic patchwork pattern many quilters still use today. Mongolia is the site of some of the earliest quilted textiles. They have been traced back to the first century.
One of the most compelling myths regarding American quilts is the part they may have played in the Underground Railroad. Quilters were supposed to have sewn secret code into their projects that only those involved in the Underground Railroad understood. The codes gave instructions to runways heading north. Historians discount the story believing it to be started by an individual family.
Most people love quilts. They are reminders of a time long gone. The stories that have built up around them through the years may or may not be true. Either way people love the idea of the history they represent.
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