Quilts today are a far cry from the utilitarian objects they used to be. Quilters were great recyclers out of necessity. Other than the occasional feed sack they would use pieces of clothing to make the tops, unless they were from a wealthy family. Everyday quilters would use old blankets as batting or crudely carded cotton, which still contained pieces of of the hull. If you hold some older quilts up to the light, like looking at the inside of an egg, you can see some of those bits of cotton hull. Other than crazy quilts of the late 1880's, quilts, for the most part were bits and pieces of memories where were hardly all the special, but they were using every bit of commodity they had available and such was the quilt in the old days.
Of course today, quilts are still used on beds, but most quilters will visit their local quilt shop with pattern or book in hand or found at the quilt shop. Careful time and planning usually goes in a quilt, still just as lovingly pieced, but more as a matter of pride and accomplishment than necessity. I said most people do that. We have in our guild, one such quilter that is the most economical of quilters. Here is Joan, our queen of the recycling of fabric.
Nothing goes to waste. I've even seen her replace a stain glass binding on a jacket she made years ago, cause, it's still a very nice jacket.This a memory quilt she made for her daughter, from a lot of the dresses
she made for her grown daughter, when she was young.
Lucky daughter!
