American Patchwork Quilting
Irish emigrants brought the art of patchwork to America. Thus began the exchange of ideas, patterns and samples of fabrics across the Atlantic. Their experience in the country inspired Americans to create unique patterns reflecting their ideas. Dutch and the English colonists brought and developed quilting in America gradually. Soon American patchwork quilting became popular and American women started naming their patchwork patterns inspired by their daily lives. A number of typical American characteristics were reflected in quilt names.
Earlier, American patchwork quilting involved three- laye red cloth for protection from the cold. The remaining fabrics were used to make bed cover s. When the patchwork quilting was brought to America, colonists did not realize it would develop so much. But American women observed great advantages of quilting. Besides, they also recognized the functionality and artistic feature of quilts and worked upon expanding and improving the samples brought by the colonists. Later in 1880s various creative geometrical designs became popular in several competitions and fairs.
The Log Cabin pattern is one of the most popular patterns in American patchwork quilting. It includes both sides of the Atlantic. It is believed that Irish emigrant brought this pattern to America. It was referred to as the folded quilt in Ireland but later Americans named it as the Log Cabin as it appeared similar to the American tradition of building houses from logs. A number of times, when fabric was limited or out of stock, the Log Cabin pattern was considered a good option because i n this pattern, small pieces of several fabrics were used to create pleasing patterns in the quilt.
Log Cabin patchwork quilt came to America around 1870. This American patchwork quilt is made with plain as well as patterned silk and satin fabric. It often uses more than two thousand pieces of fabric in its making. Color is also a very important factor in a Log Cabin patchwork quilt. One side of each square of the patchwork has dark fabric, while the other side is light. In American patchwork quilting, several makers use red in the center of the square, to show the fire glowing in the hearth of the cabin. Besides this, there are several possibilities to designs of the Log Cabin. Some of the popular Log Cabin quilt patterns are Straight Furrow and Barn Raising.
