Old-time quiltmaking was part of America's early social fabric

Quilts have been warming homes since the early 19th century.

Back then, quiltmaking was a big part of the social life, andquilting bees were as important as sewing circles in stitchingtogether community connections.

In preparation for quilting, women would sit at home and piecetogether discarded patches of fabric. The padding, backing andquilting on the one and only community frame would be done as agroup. This became a social event.In the morning, the women would gather at the home of whoeverwho would end up owning the quilt. They would pad, line, roll andquilt the fabrics, busily working until suppertime, when husbands andsweethearts of the quilters were …