When I was young there was a special type of occasion now and then called the “quilting bee”. All the “moms” got together at our small country church and sat around a quilting frame, working on the project. It was my job to keep myself busy without getting in trouble, which was quite a challenge.
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These quilts were made for a variety of reasons: upcoming weddings, baby showers, elderly needing a warm quilt and so forth. The ladies converged on the get together armed with boxes of “quilting scraps” and began putting blocks together. In time a quilt was created that was unique and perfectly suited for the occasion. It was interlaced with memories, hopes and dreams.
Quilting Scraps
I grew up in a time after my parents generation had seen the effects of the Great Depression. They didn't throw things away like we do. When garments and other items made from fabric began to wear beyond their usefulness, they were cut up and the good parts saved. These went into a box or suitcase of scraps that would later be made into other needed items.
Quilts were a good candidate for using these scraps. When many of the local ladies got together to build a quilt, their colorful fabric scraps came together into an array of designs. Many scraps had memories attached and became part of the new creation.
The Quilting Frame
This was a wooden structure that resembled a table with no top. The quilt was stretched out between the frame parts as it was created and made it easy to work on. When many ladies got together around the frame they could work together without getting in each others way.
A good quilting frame was kept for generations and stored away in a closet when not in use. Not everyone had a quilting frame since there was no need for several, and a good quilting frame was rather expensive. Once in a while you might run across a quilting frame at an auction, but they are increasingly more rare.
Today's quilting frames are made of much more durable materials and the cost is much more affordable, based on our income compared to back then. These frames are easy to store and clean, and there is just no better way to create a quilt.
Get A Quilting Book
There is no better way to learn about quilting than to get the right book, and then share it. Books about quilting are not only still available, they are better than ever. Quilting is not dead, it's just not as popular as it used to be. We are not as engaged in each others lives, nor do we have time to spend on these projects like we used to. But organizing a quilting bee in your organization is a great way to create gifts for your needy neighbors that will last for generations.