Quilts
Quilts are lovely, charming bed covers that are nothing short of immortal. No one can refuse the powerful message that a quilt conveys. For some people, quilts are made to tell a story with each color representing different emotions and life situations.
A quilt can also serve as a meaningful gift to a loved one, whether the pattern created is a personal design or free quilt patterns obtained online. Unlike other bed covers, quilts can be used for those who seek warmth, want to enhance the mood of a room, want to express artistry. For many generations, quilting is regarded more than a bed cover but an expression of art.
History Of Quilting
If you trace back to the American history, quilt making began as a past-time activity of older women in the colonial times and the heritage was handed down from generation to generation. However, the harsh life during the colonial times made quilting a rare past time and often was a slow process.
First of all, ordinary women actually didn't have all the luxury of time to just sit by the sewing machine and sew the quilt. Colonial-times women were focused more on tending to her often-large family so that the needlework had to be squeezed in to a woman's hectic routine.
It wasn't until the 19th century when the textile industry was born, that fabric was made readily available for most families and quilting turned into a widespread activity. Broderie perse quilt patterns became exceedingly popular around the 19th century – quilt patterns made from cut designs (of flowers for instance) from a printed fabric, and left with a scant border that is turned under, and then sewn onto a solid quilt fabric to make for a centerpiece.
During the colonial times and up to the 19th century, making quilts was a slow process but each quilt made certainly told a story for each woman who painstakingly tried to create a work of art and an expression of herself.
Styles Of Quilts
Although quilting seems more like a free-flow of colors and prints, it will do you good to know the several styles of quilting to have a grasp of how this heritage survived time in the midst of modern machine-produced bed covers.
Medallion Style
Medallion-style quilting was the favored style between 1780's and early 1800's, which was largely inspired by the immigrants to America who imparted it to the people. Quilt makers in Britain and Europe continued to adapt the medallion style beyond this expanse, however. Medallion quilts ranged from perfectly symmetrical with a centerpiece (that used the broderie perse technique) to informal asymmetrical patterns. In antique collections, baby quilts and doll quilts can often be found, which were probably sewn by children or given to them as gifts.
Crazy Quilt Style
This style of quilting is mainly inspired by the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition that had a display of fascinating Japanese ceramics with asymmetrical art. This crazy motif motivated women at that time to incorporate the look into making crazy quilts that earned popular acclaim. Similar to an abstract painting, crazy quilts featured abstract patterns obtained from asymmetrical pieces that are sewn together. The quilts were crafted more as showpieces rather than for functionality.
Charm Quilting
Known also by such intriguing names as Old Feller quilt and Beggar quilt, but either name can justly describe the charming attribute of this quilting style. "Old Feller" reveals the idea that each charm quilt should incorporate different pieces of fabric so that no two pieces are identical. It's also called "Beggar" since women were often led to collect varying designs by asking for scraps of fabric to complete the quilt.
Quilts are indeed timeless pieces, and any generation can attest to that. The charm of these bed covers can resolutely struggle through the ages despite the competition of technology. Until the universal feelings blanket every human being, quilts will always be patches of many hues.