Tour of America's Quilting Through Time
Select the articles that interest you the most or begin your tour
with Colonial quilts then follow the tour links on each page.
knitting and sewing with no time to quilt
women quilting together and the quilt frames they used
block patterns shared woman to woman and published
from preparing for the journey to settling in the west
how quilting played a role in emancipation of the slaves
from exquisite quilts for fairs to functional cot coverings
from fine silk Crazy Quilts to ordinary pieced cottons
the renewed interest in quilting during the 20s and 30s
From World War II to the revival during the 1960s
America's quilt revival & the Whitney Museum exhibit
Quilting in early America was far different than it is now. Over the years methods changed from piecing and quilting being done by hand to the use of the sewing machine as it became available then a turn back to making quilts by hand and finally to the use of modern sewing and quilting machines. In the mid 1800s fabric became more affordable and new styles became popular.
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Timeline of
Quilting History
Pieced Patchwork
1780 ~ present
Whole Cloth
1750 ~1850
Chintz Appliqué
1775 ~1865
Establishment of
US Textile Mills
1813 ~ 1840
Baltimore Album Style
1840 ~1900
Friendship Blocks
1840 ~ 1900s
Early Sewing Machines
1845 ~ 1855
Published Patterns
1855 - present
Civil War Quilting
1861 ~ 1865
Charm Quilts
1870 ~ 1950
Crazy Quilts
1880 ~ 1910
Establishment of Quilt Guilds
1920 ~ 1970
Feedsacks
1925 ~ 1940
Rotary Cutters
1979 ~ present
