The Quilting Obsession

Traditional quilting can be traced back to the times of the middle ages. 

Probably born out of necessity to keep warm in those dark and damp castles.

Castle Image by manfredrichter on Pixabay

The word ‘quilt’ itself is linked to the Latin word ‘culcita’ meaning bolster or cushion.

It’s purpose is to keep the layers of the quilt in place so that it does not shift over time and also to provide a decorative pattern to the finished product.

The stitches that are used are usually made with a common white thread or it also can be a color to match some of the the fabrics.

It’s function as we know it today is still to keep us comfy, a form of art and a treasured keepsake.

Quilting skills have traditionally been passed down by relatives but today there are many training resources available.

Men and women from all ages are being bitten with the quilting bug.

I remember my mother purchasing a patchwork quilt from a group of friends that were quilting to raise money for a Church organization.

The quilt took countless hours by the group to complete by hand made from articles of clothing that was donated.

We still use it today and that was over thirty years ago and is a treasured keepsake of my mom and her friends.

Todays Types Of Quilts

There are many types of quilts and designs to get you started.

Patchwork quilts are probably the most popular and the easiest to get you started. There are many different patterns for these and it’s basically a bunch of fabric patches sewn together which can be just about any shape.

Crazy quilts are more intricate quilts made out of odd-shaped pieces of different fabric types and can be stitched or embroidered.

Memory quilts are a more personal type of quilt. It consists of fabric from clothes that a loved one has worn who may have passed. The different garments are cut into shapes and are sewn together as a keepsake.

Rag quilts are fun project if you are looking for a fast result. These are constructed with flannel or fleece fabrics but also can use any fabric type.

Applique quilts requires cutting out different shapes and applying them to your quilt top either by stitching, iron on or by using an adhesive glue.

Embroidered quilts are quilts with embroidered blocks done by machine or by hand. This also makes it possible to do some personalization to your quilt.

We hope this gives you a little insight to the possibilities of creating that one of a kind quilt.

Whether this is your first or one of many, there is no limit to the unique colors, patterns and styles that are now available.

The Mighty Longarm

Not as time consuming today as there are various machines that make the process much faster and can quilt in just about any pattern!

Longarm machines were first introduced in the late 1800’s and were hand cranked.

Today thanks to technology there are lots of companies that make manual and computer based units.

These can range from ten up to forty thousand dollars in price.

No need to go out and buy one though if you are a hobby quilter as there are sewing and fabric shops that either rent the use of them by the hour or will do the quilting for you for a reasonable price.

Pictured below are a few quilts we finished on a longarm for Christmas gifts in 2020.

I am sure that these will be used and cherished for a long time to come and will add a little comfort and a splash of color to any room.