Our speaker for September was Jane Cobbett and she entertained us with a talk on the history of quilting from a reference to Mary Queen of Scots and her ladies, cutting triangles of fabrics to modern art quilts.  The inspiration in that period for the shapes used for patchwork were probably leaded windows and tiles.  She encouraged us to make a template out of a square of paper which produced an elongated hexagon.  This was how patchwork pieces were produced prior to 1860 when templates were first available. 

In the late Victorian period, the popular quilts were Crazy Patchwork which used all different types of fabric and was usually embroidered, Sun Bonnet Sue, which evolved into the crinoline ladies, and Red Work which could also be brown and blue but is still called Red Work. 

She also told us how seed sacks were used to make quilts in America and as a result manufacturers of the seed sacks created patterned sacks.  Four sacks would make a quilt backing and three would make a garment.  The fabric was very course but sugar and flour sacks were of a much finer quality. They were particularly used during the depression.

In the 1950’s the quilts were very much make do and mend and then in the early 1970’s became popular eventually evolving into the art quilts that are made today.

It was a very enjoyable evening and very informative.

Crazy Patchwork Tea Cosy

Cathedral Window Patchwork

Dresden Plate block made from Seed Sacks