While new quilts are all good and well, it is often a good idea to pay homage to the past and remember the original way quilts were made. One of the cornerstones of original quilting is the patchwork a very popular quilt amongst the working class, particularly when cashflow was tight. It was during the time of the depression, that this quilt experienced an explosion in popularity. With so many people out of work, it was a good way of saving the pennies and keeping warm at the same time.

So here’s a few hints for how to make a patchwork quilt:

Material

The ideal materials for these quilts are scraps after all, that is what makes up a patchwork quilt. It doesn’t have to be specifically quilting scraps either. A true patchwork quilt was made up of materials sourced from all sorts of places. It was common to get materials like old clothes, curtains and table-cloths, anything in fact, so long as it was nice on the skin and held in the warmth, it was up for grabs.

It’s for that reason that you should try your absolute best to avoid buying new material. Using and recycling old material will keep it more authentic and holds tight the essence of a patchwork quilt.

Pattern

There is no obligation for patterns. The most frequently used pattern was a straightforward square pattern. This was used more usually just because it’s such a simple pattern to stitch.

It’s not uncommon to see hexagonal patterns either. It just requires a touch more thinking to plan out the pattern and to be certain that similar colors aren’t placed too near together.

It isn’t unusual to see hexagonal patterns either. It just needs a little more thinking to plan out the pattern and to be sure that similar colours are not placed too close together.

So if you follow these axioms, you will see how simple and fun it can be making a patchwork quilt not to mention how inexpensive they are as well!

So if you follow these guidelines, you’ll see how easy and fun it can be making a patchwork quilt not to mention how cheap they are as well!

Good luck and happy quilting!

For lots more simple concepts on how to make a patchwork quilt, go to Jane Green’s patchwork quilt blog right now!

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