Quilt Block History, recapped by quilter Penny Halgren, gives us insight on how this art has changed and evolved over the decades. 
With new techniques and materials, fabric artists have more to work with than their forebears did.  Manystill stick with the traditional patterns and techniques.  Others combine various ages in their work.  While the most modern quilters continue to experiment with working “outside the block.”
Reading Penny’s article will give you insight of the evolution of quilting and where you are in the picture.
What type of quilting do you like to do? 
 My daughter Beth and I find we’ve evolved from making …read more

Barbara Brackman, author, quilt collector, and researcher, has become famous in the quilting world for her books on quilt history and fabric dating.  I’m always intrigued by her work.
I came across a fascinating blog entry, Clues in the Calico: A Short History, in which Barbara tells how she came to write her first book, Clues in the Calico. She was a schoolteacher and a quilt collector, who decided to delve further and share what she found in quilt history and fabric dating with others.
Now, 20 years later, this book which is out of print as a traditional book, is available …read more

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com

I’ve always found the history of quilts, quiltmaking, and quilters fascinating.  I like to see pictures of the old quilts, read about their origins, and visit museums and exhibits.
An online resource for discovering information about old quilts, quilting, and quilters is Womenfolk.com.  You also can subscribe to the History of Quilts Newsletter and receive updates from Judy Anne.
Do you have a favorite book or web site where you find information about old quilts?
(Amazon image)
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com
 “A Blast from the Past” – the Lifestyles Channel’s Promo Day theme – encompasses the upcoming Fourth of July holiday and patriotism.  As I browse through quilt names, I find many that refer to our country’s history or Americana.
Do you know what any of these names mean or refer to in our history, whether patriotic, political, or pioneer?

Old Tippecanoe
Union Star
Mill Wheel
Water Wheel
Clay’s Choice
The Little Giant
Churn Dash
Lincoln’s Platform
Rail Fence
Log Cabin & Log Cabin Star
Whig’s Defeat
“Fifty-Four-Forty-or-Fight”
White House Steps
Madison’s Patch
Kansas Dugout
Democratic Donkey
Elephant

For instance, Madison’s Patch refers to President James Madison.  It’s claimed that his wife, Dolly, had a quilt patch named in his …read more

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com
 The Arts Bloggers share again, here at Quilting and Patchwork, as well as on other blogs.  Check out their offerings, find some news ideas and inspiration.
Cornstarch clay- can it look like turquoise?  Noreen Crone-Findlay, of Hankering for Yarn, ask this question as she works on a new doll. She’s spun the yarn to weave the body, and sculpted the head from cornstarch clay. She painted it to look like carved turquoise.
Creative Scarecrows book review  Yard people aren’t just for the fall, you learn at Junk Creation. Check out this book for inspiration. 
Keeping a Knitting Journal  .  At A Creative Journal, …read more

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com
 As I read my grandfather’s writings, Fifty Years Ago, Rural Life from 1876, I was delighted to realize he had included information about his mother’s quilting at Trails End Farm, in Dutchess County, NY.  I know from this that my quilting heritage definitely traced back to my great grandmother, Mary Barker Coon.
 Papa Coon, as our family referred to Burton Barker Coon, writer and farmer, mentioned the women getting together for afternoon tea and cutting out pieces for quilt blocks. 
“They would take their sewing along and have a very pleasant time.  All the girls were brought up to piece quiltsk, bake …read more

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com
 
  Quilt History & the Fascination of this Art in the Classroom
Kristin, at Sew, Mamma, Sew! blog relates her experiences Teaching Quilting History to Kids (8th graders) and presents ideas other teachers can utilize. Quilters who simply want to share the lore of quilts and quilt history will find this fascinating, too.  Since I enjoy quilt history and teaching quilts and quilting to youngsters, I thoroughly enjoyed this post of Kristin’s.
After attending one of Eleanor Burns traveling quilting history shows that brought quilting to small towns, Kristin was inspired.
I worked quilts into my curriculum as much as possible. The math teacher got …read more

 QuiltingAndPatchwork.com 
Quilters and fabric artists create memories…some of recent projects, others we made longer ago, and perhaps some connected with quilts stitched by former generations.  Do you write about your memories and events connected with them?
They can be recorded any number of ways:

Blogs
Journals
Scrapbooks
Videos or DVDs
Published materials

Quilts from my family heritage, as well as projects my daughter and granddaughter are undertaking today, I write about at Tales of the Trails End Quilters. Along with the quilting memories, I’m including bits about the quilters and the history of the Trails End Farm where my quilting heritage began. 
Blogging is just one way you can record your quilting and family memories. 
What …read more