I am a firm believer in remembering our past so that we can learn from the successes and failures of previous generations.  This principle applies to so many areas and I believe we can find elements of quilting history that need to be remembered and duplicated.

A Look Back

Early Americans found quilting to be an important skill and during the mid to late 1800s, it was at its peak.  Quilting for them came out of necessity.  The economy was limited and food was scarce.   Necessity was the mother of invention and it forced a mind set of using and reusing whatever you had on hand.  Artistry was at a minimum during this time and thus many quilts created were scrappy in nature and made from recycled clothing or flour sack material.   The Industrial Revolution, a period of growth in the manufacturing industry, was still in its infancy stages, but by the late 1840s, manufactured fabric started to make a presence and became affordable for most families.

It was during this time that the women would gather in local church buildings or homes to work simultaneously on quilts.  This provided women, of all ages, a chance to come together and have time to socialize, build friendships, help each other finish their projects, provide for a young girls hope chest, and a time for teaching.  Beginners and experienced were welcome.  The skills taught would help the young women set up their home, provide for their family with furnishings, an item to barter, but also provide them with a social asset.  The older women taught the young women important sewing skills but I have no doubt that issues of everyday life arose during the conversations of these women.  These gatherings were known as quilting bees.  Often times, at the end of these busy days, the men would join them to eat the evening meal and fellowship or dance.  These were communal events and everyone experienced benefit.

Historical Application

So what can we glean from looking back at the history of quilting?  Skills are not taught side by side  in today’s society.  Sewing and quilting are often taught in classes or online videos.  Students must search for such learning opportunities as they are no longer taught the skills during their youth while in school or in the home.  I recently read somewhere that medical students are missing the fine motor skills so greatly needed for surgery and sewing applications.  We are moving away from a pencil and paper to a keyboard thus reducing the amount of fine motor skill needed.  Quilting bees have been replaced with quilting guilds.  Communal times are limited within our society and passing bits of wisdom from the older generation doesn’t happen as often either.  Now more than ever, we have to be intentional about gathering the generations together and passing down skills to keep them alive.

The Struggle Is Real

As a  young mom, I understand the struggle of trying to teach your kids everything that they will need to know, while trying to accomplish all of the day’s tasks.  I get the children want to watch television, play the most recent video game, play in the pool, anything but working outside in the heat or challenge themselves to something that they aren’t inherently “great” at doing.  I believe the important thing here is that we are being intentional with what we are challenging our children.  This applies to all children, whether publicly, privately, or home educated.  These skills, while they might not be a necessity like in days past, they do teach so much more than just a hobby but important to our overall well being, health, and legacy.  To further stress this point, a study was published by the Journal of Public Health in 2011 focusing on the correlation of creative hobbies and well-being.  In a nutshell, the study found that the ability to have a creative outlet is directly correlated to self acceptance, positive relations, environmental mastery, autonomy, purpose in life, and personal growth.

Perhaps you didn’t grow up learning sewing, quilting, a hobby, or skill of times gone by.  There is no time like the present to learn.  Research your family history and find out if your family had a notable skill.  If not, find one that interests you.  Maybe even learn alongside your child.  Be a student but also a mentor.  Show them how to pursue different activities that are fulfilling and then use those opportunities as a time to engage in conversation about the issues of the day.   As found in the study mentioned above, there are so many more benefits received than just creating something that isn’t a necessity.