| Like many other crafts and hobbies, quilting | | | | quilt. Contemporary quilts, or art quilts, |
| has survived the test of time. Some quilt | | | | are also popular, and provide a canvas for |
| historians date the beginning of quilting | | | | designing quilts that has no bounds. |
| back to the middle ages, when quilted clothes | | | | |
| were made for warriors sent to battle in cold | | | | Many quiltmakers still rely on hand sewing |
| climates. According to history, fabrics were | | | | which makes quilts portable. Your quilt |
| layered and stitched in the same quilting | | | | project easily goes into the waiting room of |
| method used today to keep the layers intact | | | | doctors and dance classes, travels with you |
| and keep the warriors warm. | | | | in the car on long trips, and turns idle time |
| | | | into productive time. |
| You might note several differences: | | | | |
| | | | Other quilters complete their entire quilt |
| · The quilting was done by hand (as was | | | | project on the machine - from piecing blocks |
| the construction of the clothes) | | | | to machine quilting and finishing the |
| | | | binding. |
| · There were no fancy designs of either | | | | |
| the quilting pattern or the clothes | | | | Whether your quilt is made by hand or |
| | | | machine, the sense of pride you feel when |
| · Probably this clothing was made by local | | | | your quilt is finished is at least equal to |
| tailors (who generally were men) | | | | the feeling of love, admiration and |
| | | | appreciation that the person who uses or |
| Quilting today is much more fun and includes | | | | receives the quilt feels. |
| both men and women! Because there are more | | | | |
| than 20 million quilters in the US, fabric | | | | And you become a thread in the history of |
| stores have dedicated sections of their shops | | | | time - linking past generations with the |
| to quilting fabric. In many communities, it | | | | future. |
| is easy to find a quilting store or two (or | | | | |
| three) - a shop that caters just to quilters. | | | | Happy Quilting! |
| And finding quilting fabric online is | | | | |
| getting easier by the day. | | | | Penny Halgren |
| | | | |
| With a wide selection of resources, the next | | | | Inspiration and Education for Beginning |
| question is whether you will enjoy quilting. | | | | Quilters |
| The art of quilting has something for almost | | | | |
| everyone. | | | | Fast, Fun and Funky Quilts |
| | | | |
| Traditional patchwork quilts are still very | | | | Penny Halgren is a quilter of more than 24 |
| popular. They provide a framework for design | | | | years who seeks to interest new quilters and |
| while allowing the quilter to use fabric | | | | provide them with the resources necessary to |
| selection to vary the overall look of the | | | | create beautiful quilts. |