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.
Antique quilts, in many ways, are window into the country's beginnings. We have ideas about our ancestors in the colonies sewing together scraps of material to create bed covers for their families. We see this as a sign of their thriftiness. Some people believe quilters designed pieces with secret messages for runaway slaves to help them get to a safe haven using the Underground Railroad.
A commonly held belief is that pioneer women kept scrap bags filled with remnants ready to be turned into quilts. This suits the notion that all pioneers were ingenious and did not mind the manual labor it took to create necessities for everyday life. In fact, pioneer quilters didn't use scraps, but whole cloth instead. The cloth available to them was expensive and imported. It took the Industrial Revolution to make quilting from scraps feasible.
It is commonly believed that colonial women made quilts. This fits our picture of Americans with limited resources but plenty of resilience. Historians have found this to be fairly rare. In colonial times, textiles were expensive commodities. It was only after industry technology made mass produced cloth affordable that cutting up material and sewing it back together made economic sense.
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.
Most Americans believe that quilting is specific to the United States. It is true that Americans have their own distinct styles and traditions, but some of them can be traced back to England and France. The popular mosaic patchwork designs most are familiar with actually originated in Britain. Some of the earliest quilted textiles have been found in Mongolia. These date 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.
Quilts become family treasures. They have a history all their own. The most famous myths are sometimes true and sometimes not. Either way families will continue to cherish quilts and pass them on to new generations.
Antique quilts, in many ways, are window into the country's beginnings. We have ideas about our ancestors in the colonies sewing together scraps of material to create bed covers for their families. We see this as a sign of their thriftiness. Some people believe quilters designed pieces with secret messages for runaway slaves to help them get to a safe haven using the Underground Railroad.
A commonly held belief is that pioneer women kept scrap bags filled with remnants ready to be turned into quilts. This suits the notion that all pioneers were ingenious and did not mind the manual labor it took to create necessities for everyday life. In fact, pioneer quilters didn't use scraps, but whole cloth instead. The cloth available to them was expensive and imported. It took the Industrial Revolution to make quilting from scraps feasible.
It is commonly believed that colonial women made quilts. This fits our picture of Americans with limited resources but plenty of resilience. Historians have found this to be fairly rare. In colonial times, textiles were expensive commodities. It was only after industry technology made mass produced cloth affordable that cutting up material and sewing it back together made economic sense.
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.
Most Americans believe that quilting is specific to the United States. It is true that Americans have their own distinct styles and traditions, but some of them can be traced back to England and France. The popular mosaic patchwork designs most are familiar with actually originated in Britain. Some of the earliest quilted textiles have been found in Mongolia. These date 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.
Quilts become family treasures. They have a history all their own. The most famous myths are sometimes true and sometimes not. Either way families will continue to cherish quilts and pass them on to new generations.
About the Author:
If you are searching for the facts about quilt museums, come to our web pages today. More details are available at http://www.nequiltmuseum.org/exhibitions.html now.