Patchwork quilts are an Americana staple, and these items are also highly collectible. While they are most commonly associated with the pioneer times and early formation of the United States, many cultures produce patchwork quilts and many of them are extremely valuable.

The process of making a patchwork quilt is quite labor intensive and for many families, these precious items became heirlooms. Typically, the quilt maker would save little squares of fabric that would then be turned into larger quilting squares during the making of the item. Sometimes, these pieces of fabric would be from old clothes, or blankets, or even feed sacks. Making a patchwork quilt could take months, due to the amount of work that is required.

Collecting the fabric is only the first step in making a patchwork quilt. Once enough of this was on hand, the quilt maker would begin the process of assembling each square, by hand, into an interesting pattern. The history of quilting patterns dates back many hundred years, but patchwork quilts are probably the most quaint. Instead of following a certain set pattern of colors, they were a mishmash of the fabric that the quilter had on hand. Each square would tell a story and that was part of the fun in making this type of quilt and owning one.

Once the squares were all assembled in the right pattern, the quilter would then begin the process of applying them to a backing. Typically, a type of batting would be sewn in between the backing fabric and the patchwork quilt square. However, many times, especially for poorer families, the backing and the squares were the only material that was used.

Each square would be handstitched onto the backing fabric until the entire pattern was assembled. A specific quilting stitch was used to ensure that the finished product would be very durable. Finally, when the finished product was complete, the entire pattern of the patchwork quilt would be made visible. It could take a quilter months to finish this type of project, but some were able to get them done in a matter of weeks once they had the fabric ready.

Typically, patchwork quilts were made during the winter months when pioneer families did not have has much work to do outside the home. However, quilting parties became very popular and gave women a means of socializing outside the home. During one of these parties, several women would work on the same patchwork quilt, assembling the squares, making the pattern and putting everything together.

In many small towns, the practice of making a patchwork quilt for a raffle became very popular. Often, women would construct these quilts and then donate them to their local churches. The church could then use the raffle to raise funds for building or other needs. If you happen to come across a patchwork quilt that is an antique, think about the labor and love than went into it for a few moments. You are holding a piece of someone’s history in your hands.

Originally posted 2008-08-25 14:00:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Many people today want to wear a vintage wedding dress when they get married. Vintage clothing in general has become hugely popular. You can purchase actually vintage clothing in various states of wear, vintage fabric which to make clothing from, or reproduction vintage clothing made from new fabric in old-fashioned styles and designs. A good place to find vintage clothing of all types, including wedding dresses, is eBay. The drawback to purchasing clothing from an online auction, though, is the inability to try the item on for a good fit before purchasing, and most clothing sellers don’t accept returns, especially if they’ve given detailed measurements in the auction to help people determine whether an item will fit or not.

If you decide to purchase a vintage wedding dress from an auction, read the measurements and any other available information. Unless you’ve measured yourself very recently, measure again just to be sure. When purchasing vintage clothing of any kind, you’ll want to ask the seller questions, whether you’re trying the item on in their shop or purchasing it online.

Even if you don’t want to purchase a vintage wedding dress online and instead want the convenience of trying it on first, you should search online for vintage items to learn more about the different styles and time periods available, and the general cost of items like the one you’re looking for. This can help you from paying far too much for a wedding dress, and help educate you about which styles were most popular during the era from which you’d like to find a dress.

A vintage wedding dress from the 1930s, for instance, is more likely to have detachable train than dresses from other eras, so the bride could wear the dress as an evening gown after the wedding. The sleeves were typically long and tapered, and often the satin gowns were buttoned down the back. Netting and frills became popular in the 1940s, as were hidden zippers and buttons and loops, rather than the long line of back-buttons. Tapered sleeves with the point extending over the top of the hand were also in vogue.

A vintage wedding dress from the 1950s is more likely to have extensive lacework and a long train, while the wedding dresses from the 1960s reflected the movement toward nature and simplicity, with dresses more often ankle-length, and even mini-skirt length.

When you decide which era you prefer in your vintage wedding dress, something else to consider is the state of the dress. Is it ready for you to wear down the aisle? (Or display, if you’re purchasing as purely a collector’s item?) Can it be altered? Some vintage dresses don’t lend themselves to alterations very well, because they were often made for one specific person, rather than purchased from a shop and altered as is common today. Also, look into the cost of cleaning your vintage wedding dress as the cost of archival cleaning could actually be more than you pay for the dress itself.

Originally posted 2008-10-23 05:00:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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