There is a healthy community of patchwork and quilters in this country who have crafted beautiful quilts for many years and will continue to do so.
Now, a new generation of people has developed an interest in learning a new skill and like the idea of Patchwork and Quilting.
The last few years have been strange times for many of us, in many cases, our homes and gardens have been our sanctuaries and lifelines.
Time at home has inspired a resurgence in sewing, with many people hunting out that old sewing machine that they haven’t used for years (or a relative left them) and others rushing to purchase a shiny new one to keep them occupied.
After dusting down or unpacking their machines, people made scrubs and masks to help with the lack of supplies needed for hospitals and to keep friends and neighbours safe. Once the work was done people didn’t put their machines away, they got creative!
With fabric scraps in hand and sewing machines at the ready, people turned to social media and found all sorts of creative things to make online, lots of people found Patchwork and Quilting. The resurgence began.
The joy of making something from nothing or turning something old into something new is a rewarding pastime. Patchwork and Quilting allows even the most basic sewer to make quality Heirloom products that will last a lifetime.
In this day and age where we are so mindful of the potential longevity of what we buy, reusing where we can, patchwork and quilting really has come into its own.
Quilts were traditionally made from old cloth and had all sorts of uses, the history of quilting is rich and varied and certainly worth researching. In America, quilts were even hung out of windows or on washing lines along the railroads to identify safe houses for escaping slaves. A code system in the quilt design was used to give slaves specific messages.
What exactly is Patchwork and Quilting?
Patchwork and Quilting are a combination of techniques that are usually (but not exclusively) used together. Patchwork is the process of joining pieces of fabric with different designs or textures together to create a larger, variegated piece of fabric.
There are lots of traditional ways to do this but it can be done in any way. Quilting is stitching 2 or more pieces of fabric together to create a thicker, padded piece of fabric.
Most people use 3 layers, a decorative top and bottom layer with a wadding or insulation layer sandwiched in the middle. That’s not always the case though as lots of people like a decorative top and then just put a thicker fleece or more fluffy fabric on the back with no middle layer.
The art of quilting is creating decorative patterns with the stitching that holds the fabrics together and creates the ‘quilted’ look. When most people think of patchwork and quilting they think of quilts but the techniques can be used to make all sorts of items including cushions, bags, and more recently, on the catwalks for items of clothing.
Why Patchwork and quilting?
If you like sewing, either by hand or with a machine Patchwork and Quilting is something that you CAN do. If you have a technical mind you can plan and design your quilt with intricate blocks and styles or buy a pattern to carefully follow, but on the other hand, if you like to ‘freestyle’ getting stuck in and having a go you can simply join fabric together, cutting it and sewing it where you fancy until you end up with something that you like, the choice is yours.
Different techniques can be followed from machine piecing, creating traditional blocks, Foundation piecing using a machine to create detailed patterns outlined on paper, English Paper Piecing (EPP) which is done by hand or simply sewing blocks by hand.
If you like to try new things, Patchwork and Quilting is certainly something to try. Everyone can get involved and there are so many different techniques, it’s just a matter of finding what you enjoy most.
Patchwork and Quilting is a truly joyful pastime, it’s good for the soul. Take some time out of your busy schedule to do what you enjoy and focus on something creative.
