The Charm and Magic of Scrap Quilting

For some, scrap quilting simply became a practical means for using up the leftover fabric scraps from other projects. For others, scrap quilting became the art of combining unlikely pieces of fabric to create a beautiful finished piece with plenty of charm and individuality. For the dreamers of the bunch, the scrap quilt became a symbol of charm and magic, and the legend of these quilts says that any that are created with 1000 different pieces was a charmed covering, and any dreams that you had while snuggling underneath would most surely come true. Whatever your opinions about the art of scrap quilting, it is a craft that has survived many generations, and has seemed to be renewed periodically with a modern take on an old favorite.

The Victorian Era

This is the period where the legend of these charmed quilts began, following in the footsteps of the many young single women who would string buttons on a thread. It was thought that the gentleman who brought the 1000th button to her would be her male suitor by fate. Whether that was true or not, it undoubtedly gave many young women the chance to approach male suitors with the request for that much sought after button. The scrap quilting of that day consisted mostly of darker, somber colors that reflected the times of that age. They were often created in a simple square pattern, although other, more complex patterns were used as well.

Scrap Quilting Enters the 20th Century

Although the popularity of the scrap quilting waned in the 1800′s, by the 1920′s this style of quilting has again become well known and widely practiced. The scrap quilting of this age tended to be more orderly in nature, and was often complemented with a single color that consistently ran throughout or was used as a border. Many may still have one of these scrap quilts that a family member had made, which is undoubtedly a beautiful addition to a bed or wall. Today, scrap quilting remains a popular art form, with many creative seamstresses going to great lengths to produce pieces that are unique and abstract in form.

Scrap quilting has been a popular craft and method for using up spare pieces of fabric for generations. Today it has become a creative way that a quilter can express herself through an artistic endeavor. If you are a quilter, make sure that you are saving all of those scraps. You never know when you will be inspired to create a scrap quilt of your very own.