| Quilts are colorful bed coverings made by
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| | entirety the contribution of thousands of
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| sewing together pieces of cloth into
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| | black quiltmakers working at the craft
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| different designs. Quilts were more than
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| | over two centuries. What should one think
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| warm protection against cold winters.
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| | of African-American quilts, made over
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| Quilt making provided women with an
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| | such a long period of time that did not
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| important form of creative expression and
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| | conform to the aesthetics-based
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| invention. Quilts frequently celebrate
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| | identification. The casual answer that
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| birthdays, graduations, weddings,
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| | African-American quilts not in compliance
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| anniversaries, and retirements and a
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| | with the criteria were simply copies of
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| number of the winning entries commemorate
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| | white-made, traditional Euro-American
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| such events. Quilters come together at
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| | quilts was unacceptable. More and more
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| quilting bees to work on coverings
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| | questions about African-American quilts
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| together and to enjoy socializing.
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| | emerged as quilt historians realized that
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| Design
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| | findings gathered in these early studies
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| Many quilts are made with decorative
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| | of black-mad quilts had been extrapolated
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| designs;, some quilts are not used as bed
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| | far beyond what the evidence would
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| covering at all, but are rather made to
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| | legitimately support. Further research
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| be hung on a wall or otherwise displayed.
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| | began to place African-American quilts in
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| Crazy quilts are a popular form of quilt
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| | the larger context of black history.
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| design. The stitches can be made in such
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| | Making
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| a way as to form detailed patterns or
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| | Quilt making provided women with an
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| designs on the quilt. Patchwork quilts
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| | important form of creative expression and
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| are made from many pieces of different
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| | invention. While quilters have many tools
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| colored fabrics that have been sewn
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| | and techniques to choose from to
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| together, or "pieced," in a design. A
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| | facilitate the process, the truth is that
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| quilter can also sew different pieces of
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| | making a quilt, particularly a
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| fabric onto the top of the quilt to form
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| | prize-winning quilt, takes time and
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| designs. Quilts designed to be used as
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| | personal commitment. Some had done other
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| bed coverings should exceed standard
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| | kinds of sewing and needlework, and they
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| mattress size by a minimum of 20 inches
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| | found quilt making a natural extension of
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| on the width and length.
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| | their skills. Others learned from church
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| American
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| | groups making quilts for charity.
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| Brightly colored quilts are made in
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| | Quilting in early America was far
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| virtually every American community, and
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| | different than it is now.
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| they are proudly displayed in homes as
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| | History
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| well as in museums throughout the nation.
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| | Through history, cultures around the
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| Why, after many years of near
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| | world have created quilted coverings and
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| invisibility, have African-American
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| | clothing. The study into quilt history is
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| quilts become so engrossing to art
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| | a rapidly growing area of research in
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| historians, folklorists, ethnologists and
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| | American history: the important role
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| quilt historians. African Americans have
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| | women played in our history; domestic
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| made quilts in this land continuously
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| | life in the 18th-20 centuries;
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| from the late 18th century, yet their
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| | development of the textile industry in
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| work is conspicuously absent from the
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| | the Asia, India, Europe and America; the
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| many published accounts of American quilt
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| | purpose for making quilts; their pattern
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| history. Several factors, products of the
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| | and style development over time; current
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| times, form the basis of the current
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| | reproduction fabrics; and last but not
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| explorations of African-American quilts.
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| | least, dating a quilt or a single piece
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| High drama was associated with early
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| | of fabric by its dyes and the method used
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| research on African-American quilts. Most
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| | to print it. Quilts also reflect social
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| exciting of all was a linkage between
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| | history, such as the westward expansion,
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| black American quilts and African design
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| | pioneering on the Plains, wars, political
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| traditions believed to indicate an
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| | and religious campaigns and symbols,
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| unconscious cultural memory in the
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| | working women, interior design through
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| quiltmakers of their faraway motherland.
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| | time and more. It is a wonderful way to
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| African-American quilts became one of
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| | learn about history.
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| America's newest forms of exotica. Visual
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| | Conclusion
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| criteria for recognizing African-American
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| | It is clear from these responses and the
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| quilts (stitch length, asymmetrical
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| | original essays, that the process of
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| organization of quilt patches, size of
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| | making and sharing a quilt can achieve
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| patches, frequent use of bright colors)
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| | many purposes, reflect many and complex
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| were devised. One needed only apply the
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| | meanings and relationships, and warm and
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| recently created visual criteria to
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| | comfort the spirit as well as the body.
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| identify with certainty quilts of
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| | But I am only one of countless many to
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| African-American origin. How could this
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| | find inspiration, comfort, warmth, and
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| small sample of late-20th-century
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| | sustenance in the beauty, history, and
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| African-American quilts represent in its
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| | folklore of quilts.
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