I remember as a child staying with my grandmother Dorie and she and I would sew. Granny Dorie on her Singer Sewing Machine and me by hand. I even made my grandfather a quilt to use in the nursing room and also my grandmother my dad’s mom but I never saw her use her quilt which I wish I had.
For graduation my grandmother Dorie made me a quilt which I used until I wore it out and she made me another quilt and put the first one inside it. I wish I still had that quilt or one of the quilts she made my mom and sisters they never used. I was blessed last year when I went to see my Aunt Sue and she gave me one of the quilts my grandmother had made all in purple.
I brought the quilt home and had it in a storage bag until I could figure out how to display the quilt but Charlie asked to use it and its been in his room and I don’t think I will ever get the quilt back. In Homeschool in Charlie’s Home Economics class we can make a quilt because Charlie has been wanting to learn to sew. Would you like to join us and make a quilt with us?
For those that aren’t familiar with a quilt it is a type of bed cover, traditionally composed of three layers of fiber, a woven cloth top, a layer of batting or wadding, and a woven back, combined using the technique of quilting. A quilt is distinguishable from other types of blankets because it is pieced together with several pieces of cloth. National Quilting Day recognizes quiltmakers and their quilt-making abilities.
Quilting practices can be found in almost every area of the world and quilting is celebrated on the third Saturday in March every year. The National Quilting Association started National Quilting Day in 1991 and since then National Quilting Day has grown into a global celebration for all quilt lovers and makers.
Quilting refers to the technique of joining at least two fabric layers by stitches or ties. The quilting practice dates back as far as 3400 B.C. Quilting was mainly a practical technique that provided physical protection and insulation. However, decorative elements were often also present and many quilts are now primarily art pieces.
In the United States, quilt making was common in the late 17th Century and early years of the 18th Century. In these times, only the wealthy had the time to practice quilting so it was done by only a few persons. Commercial blankets or woven coverlets were a more economical bed covering for most people unlike the colonial quilt bed covering which displayed the fine needlework of the maker, such as the Baltimore album quilts. Presently, quilting is now a popular hobby, with an estimated base of twenty-one million quilters.
The oldest example of a quilted piece is kept at the Saint Petersburg department of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Archaeology section. This quilt is a linen carpet that was found in a Mongolian cave, between 100 B.C. and 200 A.D. If you have the opportunity to take a trip and are Homeschooling your children this would be a amazing Field Trip.
The origin of the quilting day can be traced to the Quilters Day Out, which was organized by the Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society in 1989 to celebrate the ancient tradition and its practice in the State of Kentucky. Two years later, this event became so popular that the National Quilting Association decided to declare an official holiday for quilting. From this day, the name changed from Quilters Day Out to National Quilting Day. Over the years, this event has attracted people to celebrate from all over the world and participate in helping to build and maintain the global heritage of quilting.
The first remnants of quilting were dated to 3400 B.C., showing that this art form had existed far into pre-history. They were traded extensively until sometime in the 12th century when these types of trade goods were returned from the Middle East by the Crusaders. Since then, it had become an integral part of the Colonial textile arts and one of the things they were well known for.
HOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL QUILTING DAY
- On National Quilting Day, quilts are hung outside the homes to educate and inspire people to join in celebrating this ancient creative skill and as a sign that you recognize National Quilting Day and that you are celebrating the Holiday.
- National Quilting Day is a time to share your skills with others by offering to teach a simple quilt project to your friends and family and showing them how quilting is done.
FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT QUILTING
- The word ‘quilt’ comes from the Latin word ‘culcita’, meaning a stuffed sack.
- A quilt is a precious heritage and apart from the professional quiltmakers, women of the old generation can make a traditional quilt and it is passed down from one generation to the other; from grandmother to mother and mother to daughter.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL QUILTING DAY
- National Quilting Day is a day to share in the fun and a day to appreciate the history of quilts; and to share quilting stories, fabrics, and patterns.
- Quilts often symbolize resourcefulness, as quilters use what resources are available to them to make a quilt covering. They also symbolize heritage.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
