| While the history of quilting is fraught | | | | for quilting for the beginner to advance |
| with many examples of possible origins | | | | from the crude patchwork designs to the |
| dating back as far as biblical times | | | | more unique quilting block styles, such |
| with the story of Josephs 'Coat of Many | | | | as this nine patch quilt called a shoo |
| Colors', it is generally agreed that the | | | | fly. While there are many hundreds of |
| more traditional American/European had | | | | variations of the nine patch quilt, the |
| it's start with the patchwork quilts in | | | | shoo fly is great quilting for the |
| the 1780's. Patchwork quilts in essence | | | | beginner to start out with. As for the |
| were quilting for the beginner, in that | | | | history of quilting the shoo fly nine |
| scraps of cloth were sewn together to | | | | patch quilt, it appears first around the |
| provide clothing and blankets as a | | | | 1870's. You will notice that there are |
| matter of scarcity and necessity. | | | | two basic shapes, a square and a |
| The very first patchwork quilts used for | | | | triangle which will both be important |
| blankets were layers of cloth sewn | | | | permanent rotary cutter templates that |
| together with a few strong running | | | | will be used in quilting other nine |
| stitches. These primitive patchwork | | | | patch quilts for beginner to expert. The |
| quilts according to the history of | | | | shoo fly is named after a child's rocker |
| quilting resembled the thick and | | | | having the seat built between two flat |
| cumbersome pallets which were slept | | | | sides cut in the shape of an animal. |
| upon. Due to the difficulty in stitching | | | | Never before in the history of quilting, |
| the many layers together the quilting | | | | have the techniques used for this |
| frame was invented. | | | | pattern been used for quilting with the |
| Progress in technology deeply affected | | | | beginner in mind. Most experienced |
| the number and styles of patchwork | | | | quilters will tell you when they did |
| quilts made during the middle years of | | | | their first nine patch quilt like the |
| the 1800s. The industrial revolution, | | | | shoo fly, they learned how to cut a |
| the turning point in the history of | | | | square in half diagonally once or twice |
| quilting brought about the most dramatic | | | | in order to get their half-square |
| change as textiles came to be | | | | triangles. However, this method is not |
| manufactured on a broad scale. This | | | | accurate mathematically and with one |
| meant women no longer had to spend time | | | | wrong move, you could wind up with two |
| spinning and weaving to provide fabric | | | | (2) or four (4) different sizes. It is |
| for their family's needs. By the 1840s | | | | difficult to place the ruler diagonally |
| the textile industry had grown to the | | | | in the exact center of each corner while |
| point that commercial fabrics were | | | | preventing the material from moving or |
| affordable to almost every family. As a | | | | splitting apart, when having to cut |
| result quilting for beginners became | | | | twice on the diagonal. |
| widespread. | | | | Every quilter knows that cutting strips |
| Another major shift in the history of | | | | are not always an exact science. |
| quilting was in the style of patchwork | | | | Sometimes it is hard to read the same |
| quilts made. Although a few earlier | | | | measurement time after time, and to |
| quilts were made in the block style, | | | | continually have to re-align the edges |
| quilts made up of blocks were uncommon | | | | as the material starts getting off the |
| until around the 1840s. With so many | | | | mark after so many cuts. When I did my |
| fabrics being manufactured quilting for | | | | own first nine patch quilt, I would |
| beginners created their blocks with a | | | | often open up the strip only to discover |
| delightful variety of fabrics. | | | | that I had a "wave" in the middle of the |
| During this period the invention and | | | | strip from inaccurate folding. It was |
| availability of the sewing machine | | | | after many years of trial and error that |
| contributed to the history of quilting. | | | | I came up with these exclusive |
| In 1856 The Singer Company started the | | | | techniques and quilting secrets that |
| installment plan so that more families | | | | will have you quilting your own award |
| could afford a sewing machine. Many | | | | winning nine patch quilt in no time. |
| patterns were created with the beginning | | | | There will be no guessing games when it |
| quilter in mind. By the 1870s a good | | | | comes to setting shapes together, as you |
| many households owned a sewing machine. | | | | will cut all the points with the |
| This affected patchwork quilt making in | | | | permanent rotary cutter template |
| two ways. First of all women could make | | | | material for easy piecing, which |
| clothing for their family in much less | | | | eliminates the "dog ears" and makes the |
| time, leaving more time for patchwork | | | | margin of error practically |
| quilt making. Secondly they could use | | | | non-existent. You will also be able to |
| their sewing machines to make all or | | | | slash your preparation time in half so |
| part of their patchwork quilts. More | | | | you can have more time and greater |
| often the sewing machine was used to | | | | satisfaction to create more beautiful |
| piece nine patch quilts but occasionally | | | | quilts. |
| the patchwork quilting was done with the | | | | ©Copyright 2007 Unique Quilter a |
| sewing machine. This made it possible | | | | subsidiary of Neo Fortunes, Inc. |