Quilting Grammy Posted April 27, 2013 Report Share Posted April 27, 2013 I am working for the MO state parks as an interperter and was asked to do a program on the history of quilts and the role they played in our culture. I would love any input that you might be able to give me. I am going to have books and info. for them and I have some hand quilting frames that I am going to take as well as pictures of my LA. Any other suggestions? Thank You. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted April 27, 2013 Report Share Posted April 27, 2013 For the history of American quilts, relate the social aspects of quilting as well as the utilitarian value of quilts. Especially in the center of the country, gathering to quilt, using the hand-made frame that was hoisted to the ceiling when not in use, was a social event for women and maybe the only time they could "relax" and talk to their neighbors and dear friends. As their fingers made the stitches and finished a useful item for the bed, they could catch up on the latest news, share recipes, talk about the children, and forget the hard work that filled their days. I'm sure they secretly compared their stitching to see who had the tiniest stitches and most even quilting. But the bed cover warmed their children and stood as a testament to their frugality and imagination. There are so many books about pioneer times and quilting--up to the quilting rage of the thirties when paper patterns from the newspaper were coveted and passed to friends. It seems every era has its quilt story--even the resurgence of quilting around the Bicentennial. I own a book full of photos from the Midwest of the 1800s through the Depression and many quilts were used proudly as backdrops on the porch or fence when the traveling photographer made the rounds to the farms and took family portraits. I guess every woman is proud of her quilts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted April 27, 2013 Report Share Posted April 27, 2013 Nice ideas linda! Underground railroad quilts come to mind when I think of quilting history. The stories and symbols helped many to be protected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted April 27, 2013 Report Share Posted April 27, 2013 I love quilt history...here is a link that may have some info you could use. http://www.pbs.org/americaquilts/your_stories/ Also, I thought of PBS because they put out a series several years ago about Quilts and their importance to America's history. I don't think there are enough hours in the day to tell all of the history and stories. One thing I think is partcularly interesting is if you can find an old quilt that has another olderquilt that has been quilted into it to pass around, that shows how frugal people had to be back in the 1800's... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaC Posted April 27, 2013 Report Share Posted April 27, 2013 You think about it and realize just how spoiled we are! Can you imagine living away from town and not have one scrap of fabric in the house? There are some very good history books out there that even discuss the printing and dying of the fabric; itis all so interesting. Check out this book: The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750 -1950. Lisa E. loaned me her book and it is wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisae Posted April 27, 2013 Report Share Posted April 27, 2013 What a great project, Connie! PBS had a series called "Why Quilts Matter" that is excellent. It is available on DVD from American Quilters' Society. This blog has a nice write up, too. http://aboutquilts.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/new-pbs-series-why-quilts-matter-history-art-politics-fall-2011-season/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delld Posted April 27, 2013 Report Share Posted April 27, 2013 I did a program gee years ago for my guild. There is so much information here on the internet as well. You will have so much fun getting all your information together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Grammy Posted May 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2013 FIRST: Think each and everyone of you who answered I have not had time to get on here since I asked for help. And thank you for the book and PBS sugestions. Second: The first mill day was today and I made it through it just fine however I am going to research a lot more before we have quilt week at my park. My new goal is to make some repo and history quilts this coming year. I only have 3 blocks left on the Underground Railroad Quilt, I was blown away when the local school 6 grade told me that they made an Underground RR quilt and they were excited and stayed at my booth through 2 turns talking about quilts it was great!!!!!!! We talked about another quilt I want to do which is the Hobo Quilt. This is what I did I talked about why quilts were made and how every thing was used and reused and showed them some 9 patch blocks that my Grandma gave me some of which were hand pieced and a Deprssion Quilt that I have that was my Grandmas and how it has a blanket inside. I also talked about how quilts tell a story and we looked at some of the other quilts and extras I had taken and we had a Q & A time. I learned as much as the kids and I know a few things that I need to do and change for the next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted May 11, 2013 Report Share Posted May 11, 2013 This is a bit along side of topic... when did the making of a quilt actually begin? Think back, I'm think it was during the cave man days, after they learned how to tan leather to make clothing.. maybe while sewing the pieces together, they realized it was warmer to just have the fur over them, not only good for body coverings, but also to have over them. Maybe one of them had scraps left over, and someone else also did, and they began playing to set the pieces to match, and decided to fasten them together. Then maybe someone else didn't care if they had rough edges on the furs and found it uncomfortable, so decided to put another layer on the back side to cover it. Lose some of the warmth, yes, but did they notice? Then it evolved into fabric of some kind, that was better for clothes in warmer climates, or where animal skins were not large enough to be easily used for clothing, and took too many and far too long to make into a blanket.. Think on from there... step by step, thru Christs time, the Romans, the Vikings, Columbus, etc..... each added bits here and bits there that changed the quilt somewhat.. and so it began and progressed to todays type, style of quilting.. I'm thinking all were/are beautiful, and loved in most cases. I am not saying, nor thinking, this is the only way to look at it, or how it happened, just how I see it, and for me that is comfortable. Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Grammy Posted May 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 Update Everything went great and I have been asked to do 2 quilts one a major custom quilt that I am super excited about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaC Posted May 14, 2013 Report Share Posted May 14, 2013 Speaking of interesting quilting history; check out this story that I saw on a card at HMQS: http://www.quiltwalk.org/the-panguitch-quilt-walk-story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Grammy Posted May 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Wow the quilt walk story was cool I had never heard that story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisae Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 When I lived in Ely, we went to Panguitch for the Quilt Walk festival. It was a good time. The guys enjoyed it, too! There was lots for them to do while we were quilting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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