The patchwork quilt has great significance in folk culture almost every part of the western world. They’ve been part of the home for centuries and have dutifully serve many functions during this time.

Originally, the patchwork quilt was just that a bunch of fabric from a variety of sources that were often scraps or leftovers from other projects that were then sown together to make a blanket.

Around the world there are communities that hold regular fairs featuring quilting bee’s and contests. The Amish community in particular are known for producing lovely and unique designs.

A Little Bit of History

The patchwork quilt has evolved from being a random collection of scrap fabrics to being works of art in their own right. In fact, antique patchwork quilts can go for hundreds of dollars and some are passed down generation to generation. They can also be given as gifts, generally to young couples as part of the house warming gifts. Girls who follow the tradition of hope chests may have several included as part of their hope chest.

At one point, it was common for these quilts to be made several times during a woman’s life. They contained pieces of fabric from important events and were often a living record of the woman’s life. For this reason, they are often featured in people’s wills because of the value they hold.

Getting Started

Starting a patchwork quilt is not difficult. You will need a few supplies. If you want to make a traditional quilt, gather things from around your home such as old clothing or blankets. It is a good idea to pick things that have some memory attached like an old baseball jersey or your favorite outfit from high school.

You can even use tee shirts obtained on vacations. Cut them into equal sized pieces. Some people cut just the designs other people just cut pieces from the fabric. It is important they are close to the same size for your first patchwork quilt to make them easier to work.

Once you have enough fabric pieces to create the front of your quilt, you are going to sew these pieces together. Traditionally, these pieces are often sewn together during quilting circles by hand.

Many people these days use sewing machines. It makes the project faster and easier to do on your own. You will also need a piece of fabric the size of the finished quilt to act as your backing. You can obtain quilting batting which is the filling used in quilts from most fabric and craft supply stores. Place the batting between the two pieces of fabric and all that is left is to stitch the pieces together.

In order to prevent the batting from shifting stitching is done all over the quilt in what is often referred to as a patchwork quilt pattern. This holds the batting in place and stitches the two pieces together. Once you have completed this you have a finished patchwork quilt.

Modern quilts can be made from fat quarters which are pre cut fabric pieces that are available for sale at most fabric supply stores. You can create a variety of patterns for a modern patchwork quilt