Over 100 Years of Quilt Related Businesses

Having a business related to quilting is nothing new. Women have likely made or finished quilts to earn income ever since quilts became a desirable bedcovering.

During the late 1800s and into the 1900s women marked items for redwork embroidery as a home business. Others hand quilted for those who preferred not doing their own quilting. Sometimes a barter system was used, for example a woman might buy enough fabric for two quilts. The quiltmaker would then make them giving one to the person providing the fabric and keeping the other to sell or use.

When the Great Depression descended on the world women who were skilled quilters made and quilted quilts either to sell on their own or as employees of a larger business. The Secret They Could Never Tell is an interesting example of this.

Today women are doing everything from making quilts to designing patterns and fabric as a business. Others are teaching quilting classes, some even online. There are many women owned quilt shops both online and off. And of course there is the uniquely modern business of doing long arm quilting for quilt makers who don’t want to do their own quilting. My personal plan on this is if my quilt is twin bed sized or bigger off it goes to the long arm quilter.

Women on Quilts brings you online interviews with women who are involved in quilt related businesses. You will enjoy listening to the interview with Pat Sloan. Learn how she juggles her many hats as a writer, teacher, designer of both patterns and fabric plus much more. I so enjoyed her dynamic discussion about how here business began and grew. I learned that it took a LOT of hard work and a true enthusiasm for each task. Listen to Pat's interview

The next interview is another women who has her own quilt business. It is one of art quilting. Read all about it at Rose Hughes On Becoming a Quilt Artist.

(women at a quilt frame photo from the Project Gutenberg)
(Thanks to Nina Keck for the quilting machine picture at her quilt shop, Hearts and Hands)

Political Quilts: The 1800s to Today

Before they could vote one of the ways a woman could show her support for a political candidate was by making a quilt.

There are wonderful examples of antique political quilts in museums and from November 6, 2008 to March 29, 2009 there will be a special exhibit, “Partisan Pieces: Quilts of Political and Patriotic Persuasion”, at Women's Museum in Dallas, Texas.

Alyssa Gardina, a member of the museum staff, described the hanging of the quilts in this way, "Seeing these quilts (there are over a dozen) hanging in The Women's Museum is very powerful. As they went up one by one, it was like we were giving voices to even more women and telling their stories. Political quilts were the voices of women before suffrage, and each of these quilts discusses politics in a different way, from the Carolina Lily commemorating the centennial to the more abstract patchwork quilts that leave greater room for interpretation."

I hope you can go as it’s so much better to see the quilts than to look at pictures. But if you can’t get to Dallas you can view a brochure for the exhibit at the International Quilt Study Center and Museum site.

There are some great block names that date back to the middle decades of the 1800s. Many of the classic quilts designs were developed during this time. Since the Whig party and the Democrats were the major parties during that time it’s not surprising that blocks appeared for and against the Whigs.

The tight race between Harrison and Van Buren in 1840 inspired quilters to name a quilt quilt block Tippecanoe. “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” was a favorite slogan of Harrison supporters as Harrison had been a hero in the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Later, at the end of the Whig era Republican, Abraham Lincoln, inspired the pattern, Lincoln’s Platform.

Of course there many were other political quilts made and even the blocks shown to the right have had other names. Quilt names varied quite a bit back then.

Making political quilts didn’t end when women got the vote. Many quilts have been made for the 2008 presidential election. In fact, the International Quilt Festival at Houston has a special exhibit, "Patchwork Politics", on political quilts this year. You can see quilts from this exhibit at Quilt Festival @ Home.

The Carolina Lily quilt, circa 1876 at the top of the page is shown with permission
Courtesy International Quilt Study Center and Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
(All others are by Judy Breneman using EQ6: go to Union Eagle Quilt for the free pattern)

A Quilt for our Times: Rob Peter to Pay Paul

My quilty friends and I have been joking about making a Rob Peter to Pay Paul(son) quilt in honor of the current economic mess. This saying is an old one. It is commonly thought the phrase came from when King Edward VI ordered St. Peter's church in Westminster to sell some of its land in order to pay for the repair of St. Paul's in London. But it may have been much earlier as it's mentioned in John Wycliffe's "Select English Works" written in 1380. Seems like this robbing Peter to pay Paul sort of thing has been a problem for a very long time.

That got me to thinking some of you might enjoy making a Rob Peter to Pay Paul quilt. After all, sometimes you've just got to laugh. There are several different patterns with this name. Based on the popularity of this name for various quilt patterns I suspect this sort of robbing to pay has been going on a lot over the years.

I didn't post pictures of all the Rob Peter to Pay Paul blocks as there are so many. Sometimes the Drunkards Path block is given this name. Typically Rob Peter to Pay Paul quilts consists of two opposing colors though I've never been sure which color is robbing or paying which. The example at the top of this page is the most traditional but the curves make it a little tricky. It is also called Orange Peel. You can find the pattern at Marcia Hohn's site, "The Quilter's Cache".

The middle one also involves curves. But the one shown to the left is a quick and easy straight line version. That is the pattern I've drafted for you.

You will find the 9 inch by 9 inch template pattern at Template for Rob Peter to Pay Paul.

So vent your frustrations with the economy and have fun with this quilt pattern.

The Baltimore Album Quilt of 1840 and Today

During the 1840s in the prosperous seaport of Baltimore a unique quilt style was born, The Baltimore Album Quilt. The quilt blocks consisted of varied motifs including elaborate floral applique and making them was a popular pastime among the well-to-do.


Over a century and a half later Joan Shay created a three dimensional Baltimore album quilt and offers the pattern at her site, Petal Play. In her patterns, books and classes she teaches a unique technique using "HeatnBond" along with other modern tools and materials that the social elite of long ago Baltimore would never have imagined.

If you love creating in new ways I think you might enjoy her techniques and instructions to make this delightful modern day 40" by 40" Baltimore Album Quilt. In the process you will be making a fascinating connection between the old and new.

I just took a class from her and am starting with a playful wall hanging of butterflies and flowers. Joan's patterns are excellent as she gives you careful instructions on how to create these sculptures in cloth


Visit Joan's site Petal Play

What a Difference in 200 Years of Quilting!

I was just going through my pictures and noticed the contrast between a wholecloth quilt made about 1801 and a quilt I made a couple of years ago. What a difference!


The beautiful hand quilted whole cloth quilt shown above is typical of those made by the well-to-do in early America. “What about the poor?” you might ask. "Didn’t they patch together scraps for quilts for bedding?" The answer is no, the poor slept under course, cheap blankets.

Looking at this beautiful example of a whole cloth quilt you can see the hours, months and possibly years it must have taken to complete this masterpiece of fine needlework.

Meanwhile we have this Mexican Star pieced quilt that I made for Quilt for a Cause just a little more than 200 years later. Rotary cutters make cutting and piecing easy. The sewing machine makes piecing quick work and free motion machine quilting makes the project go even faster.



It’s almost beyond comprehension how quiltmaking has changed in 200 years.

(wholecloth quilt photo from the Project Gutenberg)
(Mexican Star quilt made by Judy Breneman)

Pioneer Quilting: Drudgery or Creativity?

We have all heard the story that in the old days women made quilts using scraps because they were poor and had to make do with what they had. It makes it sound like quilt making was a drudgery. Perhaps it was for a few, but most found quiltmaking to be a creative outlet. Following are examples of how much quilting meant to two pioneer women.

"The Quilters: Women and Domestic Art, an Oral History" A woman tells the story of her mother who settled on a remote homestead in Texas. Her husband had to get wood for winter, a trip of several days. He was away when a terrible dust storm came up. The dugout was dark and gloomy and the wind was terrifying. Years later she told her daughter, “If I hadn’t had the piecing, I don’t know what I would have done.” Imagine how cheerful making a quilt of bright colored bits of fabric must have been to such a woman.

Another example that indicates how quilting was a creative outlet for women is seen in the story of Dorinda Moody. She was a part of a group of Mormons who settled in a part of Utah well away from other settlements. It was a rough and difficult life but she still found time to design and make quilts. The book Pioneer Quiltmaker: The Story of Dorinda Moody Slade states, "Dorinda obtained ideas for her quilts from her own creative mind and from the trees, plants and natural objects around her. She always kept a notebook and pencil on the table next to her bed. When a quilt design occurred to her, she would light her coal-oil lamp and draw out the design."

Take a look at the quote at the end of each page of my blog. Quilting sustained a lot of women over the years and still does today.

(quilt and log cabin photos from the Project Gutenberg)

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show

This Saturday I had the joy of going to the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in Sisters, Oregon. It's the largest outdoor quilt show in the world featuring well over a thousand quilts. This little town of less than 2,000 residents draws several thousand visitors to it's quilt show. The show covers 4 long blocks by 8 blocks which is pretty much the whole town.

The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show started in 1975 with just 12 quilts. Jean Wells, owner of the local quilt shop the Stitchin' Post, intended the show to be open to anyone who has made a quilt that they are proud of. Even today the quilts are not judged or juried. So you see everything from ordinary quilter’s best work to exceptional work by artists and teachers. Quilt entries come from all over America and from several other countries.

But the real fun of the show is the festive feel of it all. It’s a celebration of quilts and quilters. What a delight it is to be admiring quilts hanging from buildings and anything else that can display a quilt.

The whole town comes out for this event and proceeds go to local organizations. Folk musicians sing, food is sold in stands here and there. We supported the track team by parking in their makeshift parking lot. (Did I tell you there is no entrance fee for the show?)

The setting near the Three Sister’s mountains is stunning and you can’t believe the weather. In 33 years the show has never been rained out.

(photos by Judy Breneman)

Just What Can You Do With Squares?

You could impress everyone with how many tiny squares you can sew together. Or better yet you might make a charm quilt with every square a different fabric

By the Victorian Era inexpensive mass produced cotton made such quilts quite affordable to make. Scraps could be used and in the case of charm quilts women could trade bits of fabric with one another to increase the variety in their stash.

The goal for many charm quilts was 1,000 patches. But some postage stamp quilts included a few thousand squares as small as 3/4 inches. These larger quilts usually repeated fabrics, some in a planned arrangement and others at random.

But, of course, you could expand your creativity by creating an elaborate design or picture with squares. By the beginning of the 20th century postage stamp squares were usually arranged in a structured design. The quilt to the right made by my great grandmother is a good example of this.

In the 1920 and 30s designer, Anne Orr, created patterns made up of one inch squares based on cross stitch patterns. Quiltmakers have created amazing pictures made up of squares. Charles Pratt designed and made both mosaics and realistic scenes.

To see examples go to postage stamp quilts in the Quilt Index

(photos by Judy Breneman)

The Secret They Could Never Tell

Imagine what excitement the announcement of a grand quilt contest with $7500 in prizes would have stirred during America’s Great Depression! Sears devised just such a contest as a part of the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair.

Prizes were awarded at the local level, regional level and national level. Sears had encouraged contestants to make quilts that reflected the theme of the fair, "A Century of Progress". But the judges had other ideas, awarding the top national prizes to traditional quilts. The pictured winning quilt was a skillfully made traditional quilt in the Diamond Star Pattern. The feature that made it outstanding was its beautiful stuffed quilting.

Still, the judges blatant disregard for the guidelines caused disappointment for many and indignant anger by some. But this was minor compared to the greater scandal of this competition, a shocking breaking of a rule that wouldn’t be generally known for years.

Contestants were required to sign a form proclaiming that they alone had made the quilt. First prize winner, Margaret Caden, did not hesitate to sign as much. Caden was the owner of a shop selling fine gifts, including quilts, to the wealthy. No one of any status questioned her. There must have been murmurings among friends and neighbors but it wasn’t until years later that the truth came out. The seamstresses, who made quilts for the shop and would continue to make them for years to come, already knew.

A select few of Caden’s best quiltmakers had actually made the quilt. It's likely that Caden never even picked up a needle. Why wasn’t there an outcry from these women who got no recognition nor a cent of the prize money? I think you already know. It was the depression and these women’s families could barely make ends meet. They dared not complain for fear of losing their livelihood.

(mother with children picture is from Photos of FDR)

On Young Girls Making Doll Quilts

"Little girls often find amusement in making patchwork for their dolls and some even go so far as to make cradle-quilts for their infant brothers and sisters." Eliza Leslie, "The American Girl's Book" 1831

A couple of summers ago my seven year old granddaughter was a bit bored on a camping trip. We went to the Ben Franklin general store in a small town nearby and she picked out a little doll quilt kit. She had never stitched a stitch before and I was amazed how quickly she caught on. Pictured above is the doll quilt she made. Later she made the little whole cloth quilt shown to the right.

History tells us that some young girls enjoyed being just like their mother by making a quilt. Others hated being forced to finish one more row of stitches before being allowed to go out to play. But since knowing how to sew was a necessary skill for women through most of American history it was important that each little girl learn. Most clothing was made by the womenfolk and by the middle of the nineteenth century many made quilts as well.

Making a simple quilt of squares in a one, four or nine patch pattern was a good way for a child to get started quilting. I have a free pattern for a nine patch doll or baby quilt at Nine Patch Quilt Patterns for Babies and Dolls. You might enjoy using it to teach a child how to make a quilt.

(photos by Judy Breneman)

Star Gazing Yesterday and Today

Last night I had the opportunity to sit outside and gaze at a thick blanket of stars in the exceptionally dark skies of southwest New Mexico near the Arizona border. It came to mind how different the starry skies must have looked to our ancestors. Now we have to go well away from any populated areas to see the stars like this. We rarely go out to look at the pale skies and dim stars seen where many of us live.

(My husband took the star picture. You might enjoy taking a look at his astrophotography site.)

It's not surprising that stars were one of the earliest pieced patterns dating back to early America. Pieced stars were seen on medallion quilts long before block quilts became popular in the mid 19th century. Sometimes a large star was the centerpiece of such a quilt and other times we see multiple stars in one or more borders surrounding the center. Or stars could be found in both center and border as in the example on this page.

This is just one way quilts can tell us something about what was important to women in much earlier times.

(star photo by Gary Breneman - quilt graphic by Judy Breneman)