A perusal through the history of quilting not only enlightens us to the engaging story of the twists and turns in the evolution of the quilt but also gives us a fascinating insight into the social history of certain time periods. The earliest mention of quilting in Britain was in the medieval era, when it was used to make bed covers, wall hangings and clothes. The padded nature of a quilt made it a comfortable option of clothing to wear under armour. We then see this technique emerge in the production of quilted silk doublets and breeches in the 17th century, and later being used in the creation of jackets and waistcoats.
While we may associate quilting with the home, quilts were also made professionally in some larger towns and cities around the UK. The word ‘quilt’ stems from the Latin word ‘culcita’ which means bolster or cushion. Quilting involves two layers of fabric joined together, with a layer of wadding in between.
Whilst creating a quilt was generally a solitary occupation in Britain, across the Atlantic, in the USA and Canada, it became a group task. Known as Quilting Bees, these gatherings emerged as groups of pioneering women congregated together to work on a quilt. Born out of the necessity to create low cost, warm bed coverings, women sewed away in their own homes over the winter and then in the warmer, summer months convened to assemble to quilt. Soon these became a vital social hub, an opportunity for women who were far from their homes and families of birth, to share stories, swap recipes and walk through the joys and challenges of life together.
They were the ultimate in upcycling, using worn out clothing and scraps of material to make a new, repurposed item. The quilts they made were not just functional, but beautiful and personal, often telling a story for those who made them. Girls were taught alongside their mothers and neighbours and quilts were created for special occasions such a marriage or the birth of a baby. They often became a family heirloom, being passed down from one generation to the next.
Quilts helped retain cultural memories across the continents too. For those fleeing from revolutions and uprisings in the twentieth century, the clothes they wore might have been one of the few vestiges they had left of the past. When finally, they were outgrown, some were made into quilts. These precious heirlooms were then passed down through generations. We can almost hear the stories that might have been told as children snuggled up under the family quilt that linked them to their heritage.
More recent British history saw the resurgence of interest in quilting at the beginning of the twentieth century; out of this grew numerous quilting guilds and groups, a few of which still continue today. Then, with the craft revival of the 1970’s, a fresh interest in quilting arose, with the advent of more guilds and societies; here women met to exchange ideas, learn new techniques and enjoy each other’s company, alongside creating many stunning quilts.
Quilting Guilds, groups and societies continue to this day, offering the opportunity to learn a new skill as well as hone and expand existing ones. There are many excellent teachers, and local guilds will often hold exhibitions to showcase their work or give talks or demonstrations which are sometimes open to members of the public as well as to guild members. So, if this is a skill you already have or you are looking to learn something new, you might consider joining a local group. This is a fantastic way to develop your craft, while also opening the door to a welcoming community of like-minded people to make new friendships over tea, quilting and conversation.
If you are a skilled quilter and considering selling, demonstrating or teaching your craft, or are already doing so, you will need to think about quilters’ insurance. Quilters’ insurance includes public and product liability insurance. Public liability insurance covers you if a claim is made by a member of the public for damage to property or injury to themselves, which they believe is caused by you or one of your team in relation to your work. Whether it is your fault or not, it will cover compensation and/or legal fees.
Product liability insurance covers you if a claim is made that one of your products has caused harm or injury. Again, whether it is your fault or not, it covers compensation and legal fees. In addition, here at Craft Insurance this basic quilter’s insurance package of ours also includes professional indemnity insurance. This allows you to teach or demonstrate your craft, and covers you if you inadvertently give wrong information, leaving you free to enjoy passing on the skills and expertise you have gained over the years.
If you are a seasoned, artisan quilter, you might like to consider forming your own quilting group and teaching your craft. As all our budgets are getting tighter, maybe we can learn from the women of previous centuries and rather than taking our old textiles to the recycling centre, make use them instead to create a beautiful, warm quilt which could both stave off the need for heating for a little longer, and brighten up any room as an eye-catching centrepiece.
As the days are getting shorter and the temperature cools, our focus pivots from outdoor adventures to cosy evenings at home, curled up in a chair in front of the fire, warm mug of hot chocolate and a good book at hand, wrapped in a soft blanket. This sounds pretty dreamy, but we could take it one step further, and that soft blanket could be a handmade quilt; maybe it would include scraps from old sheets, or children’s outgrown clothes, or a wedding veil, or a favourite but stained tablecloth. What story would you tell?
