by Hannah PalsaQuilting, or at least decorative quilting, was not commonly practiced during the Colonial Era and the American Revolution. In the book, The American Quilt, textile historian Roderick Kiracofe writes: “It has long been a cherished notion that it was the colonists’ need for warm bedding that inspired them to piece together all available scraps of fabric. But the reality is that most women were far too busy with the tasks needed for basic survival…to spend precious time making quilts for bedcovers when there were other, less expensive sources available.”[i] Textiles were often a luxury, and only the wealthiest could afford imported cloth. For those that did quilt, quilts were fashioned from linens and wools, often whatever the quilters had on hand. While some quilters added embroidery, these early quilts were often plain; used as bedcovers to keep warm during the cold New England winters. It was not until the 19th Century that Americans began to quilt in droves. Quilting took on a new art form during the 19th century. In 1851, Isaac Singer patented a foot peddled sewing machine. By offering it on an installment plan, he made the technology more accessible for many households. Quilt pattern books allowed quilters to adopt a variety of different techniques and designs, which helped quilts become an artistic expression rather than just a practical piece. Women began creating quilts to be passed down as family heirlooms, often recording family history on quilt blocks that were stitched together. Women in cities and towns throughout the United States regularly participated in quilting bees, social gatherings in which women came together to work jointly on a quilt. Quilting bees also gave women the opportunity to swap recipes, teach their daughters the art of quilting, gossip, and discuss important issues within the confines of a social setting. As Americans began heading west, quilts were often a cherished item within the covered wagon. Quilts served as bedding, but also cherished memories of home. In their new towns, women often made friendship quilts to reflect on their new lives, or to honor old friends back home. (Applique Quilt from the Kansas State Historic Costume and Textile Museum’s collection, made between 1847-1852. The Liberty Cap on the olive branches was a symbol of the American Revolution, and the quilt’s eagle motifs have been seen in quilts produced in Baltimore between 1840-1850. 1992.13.1)During the American Civil War, women sewed quilts to raffle off in fundraiser efforts for the Union troops, or sent to troops on battlefields. These quilts frequently featured American flags or bald eagles, to showcase pride for their country during a difficult time. Following the end of the American Civil War, quilting continued its popularity as an artistic expression for thousands of women across the United States. As the Industrial Revolution took hold of America in the late 1800s, many Americans looked back at the agrarian society of colonial America with a nostalgic fondness. Colonial America was free of technology and modernization, representing a “simpler” way of life that many citizens dreamed of. Growing out of this fondness was the Colonial Revival Movement, which began in the 1880s and lasted until 1940. This architectural and home decorating movement helped fuel nostalgic views of America’s past, and quilters eagerly joined the movement. Quilters adopted “old time” patterns supposedly created by colonial era women, and created simpler quilts that may have been favored by their ancestors. When the United States entered World War I, the government encouraged women to “Make Quilts—Save the Blankets for our Boys Over There,” in an effort to conserve wool blankets for United States troops.[ii] The Nebraska Pinwheel quilt became a popular design by many housewives and seamstresses throughout America during this turbulent time. Quilts produced during World War I became known as “Liberty Quilts.” The early 1900s also saw a rise in signature quilts which began during the American Civil War. Quilters embroidered their signature onto a quilt block, and then the individual member signed blocks would be sewn together to form the quilt. The quilt could then be kept as a treasured heirloom or auctioned off in a raffle. In 1914, the St. Elizabeth Altar Society in Spearville, Kansas created a signature quilt which was raffled off to support the St. John Catholic Church. (St. Elizabeth Altar Society Quilt created in October 1914. Collection of Larry Strecker. 2025.SPV_1914_Quilt_001)[iii] During the height of the Great Depression, the Sears and Roebuck Catalog offered, in connection with the Chicago’s World Fair of 1933, a quilting contest. It was titled “A Century of Progress in Quilt Making,” and offered over $7,500 dollars’ worth of prizes for eager contestants. In total, over 24,000 quilts were entered in the contest, and Sears awarded Margaret Caden the $1000 grand prize for her “Star of the Bluegrass,” quilt.[iv] While the Sears and Roebuck contest may have produced the most quilt entries, contests for quilt making at local fairs and other institutions were common throughout the United States. During the tough economic times of the Great Depression, many quilters turned to flour or feed sacks for their quilting materials. Cloth bags full of flour, sugar, or animal feed often had colorful patterns printed on the inside of bags. Savvy homemakers began utilizing the patterns to create a variety of textiles including dresses, underwear, potholders, children’s clothing, and of course, quilts. Homemakers could also purchase flour sack squares in a variety of colors and patterns to piece together into a quilt, if they could not use up the several hundred-pound bags of flour or sugar needed to make a quilt. (A feed sack quilt made in the 1930s from the Kansas State Historic Costume and Textile Museum. You can see the variety of floral patterns, and a solid backing of a fruit pattern. 2014.2.24)[v]The Great Quilt Contest of 1976, sponsored by Good Housekeeping Magazine along with the U.S. Historical Society, and the Museum of American Folk Art, celebrated the U.S. Bicentennial through the practice of friendly competition. Almost 10,000 quilts were entered into the contest, representing all U.S. fifty states. The contest helped spark a resurgence in quilting, and many companies began producing pattern books of antique quilts for participants to purchase. The contest spurred a mass influx of entries, that it was not officially closed until March 1978. The winner of the Great Quilt Contest was Jinny Beyer of Fairfax, Virginia for her “Ray of Light” medallion quilt. The other large quilt contest to take place in 1976 was the “Flower Garden Quilt,” contest. It was a revival of the “Flower Garden Quilt,” contest that occurred in 1929 in Indiana. The new contest was hosted by the Indianapolis Star newspaper and the William H. Block department store in Indianapolis. Indiana. The grand prize for the contest was $950, and the contest did not require submitters to be residents of Indiana. The caveat was that entries had to use all twenty-five floral quilt blocks printed in the Indianapolis Star in their design. The quilt blocks were based on a 47-year-old design created by Ruby Short McKim of Independence, Missouri. The winning quilts were scheduled to be announced on March 27, 1977, and the winning quilts would be displayed downtown at Block’s department store in downtown Indianapolis. By February of 1977, around 15,000 reprints of patterns displayed in the Star had been sent to readers across the state, but 278 quilts were submitted for judging. Martha Donovan Opdahl of Greencastle, Indiana was the winner of the contest. Her quilt was a contemporary reverse-applique quilt, and featured random sized blocks and a rainbow striped border. Her quilt was displayed at Block’s department store from March 28, 1977 to April 2, 1977.[vi] Quilts have become one of the most recognizable American crafts. As we have seen, while quilting did not happen frequently during the Colonial Era; quilts have stitched their way through American history. Nowadays, quilts can be used as art pieces, to record and preserve family histories, or to signify historical events. As America has grown as a country, our love of quilts has grown alongside. [i] Roderick Kiracofe, The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950 (Potter Style, 1993), 46.[ii] “Quilt Discovery Experience”, National Park Service. Quilt Discovery Experience - Homestead National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service). Accessed April 17, 2026.[iii] To see the Altar Society quilt, and the individual quilt blocks, visit the Spearville Community History Page: Online Collections - Ford County Historical Society)[iv] Nick Boschetto, “The Sears National Quilt Contest,” Journal of Antiques and Collectibles, August 31, 2020. https://journalofantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/The-Flyer-600x785.jpg.webp. Accessed April 17, 2026.[v] The Kansas State University Historic Costume and Textile Museum has a vast quilt collection including feed sack quilts, and applique quilts. You can view the quilt collection by going to: Historic Costume and Textile Museum)[vi] Xenia E. Cord, Mary Jane Eichacker-Kaufman, “Influence and Inspiration: The Indianapolis Quilt Contests,” Uncoverings, Vol. 43, pg. 84, 34 pg. Accessed electronically on April 23, 2026: INFLUENCE AND INSPIRATION: The Indianapolis Star Quilt Contests. - EBSCO.
