What are quilts for?
Quilts have changed in purpose and style over the generations. Sometimes quilters in earlier days used empty, animal feed sacks for their quilt top and backing. That was when the quilt’s only purpose was warmth, not decoration. Other quilters made their quilts from material that they saved from old aprons, shirts and dresses. That was when a purpose for quilts was thrift. Some quilters make quilts for the main purpose of making art. These artists choose to use fabric as their medium instead of using paint, wood, metal, or paper. An art quilt is like a painting in many ways— • The picture can be abstract or realistic. • The picture can be a landscape or a portrait, record an event or tell a story. • Color is an important element in the design. • It’s usually made to hang on a wall. • It expresses the artist’s vision. Another purpose for quilts is to honor and remember. For example, in 1987 thousands of people in the United States came together to make the largest memorial quilt of all t
