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Quilt Art: The Art of Patchwork

PARIS, FRANCE -- The art of patchwork dates back to Ancient Greece, Egypt and the Middle East. When European communities emigrated to the United States they brought with them knowledge and skills of this ancient tradition and they adapted it to the materials and tissues that were available in their new homeland. Patchwork quilting is now closely associated with the United States.

The Monica Bismarck American Museum in Paris in association with the French Patchwork Association is currently showing twenty five exquisite patchwork quilts (as seen in photos 1 - 2) dating from the 18th to the 20th Century. The quilts have been lent by the American Museum in Bath, England, which is the only museum dedicated to American decorative and folk art outside the United states. These quilts have precious historical value and trace the path of quilting in the United States.  Visitors to the exhibition are greeted by the oldest quilt in the exhibition the, Pink Whole Cloth quilt which dates back to 1760 and was closely influenced by the natural local environment.

The use of the colour red (as seen in photo 3) in quilting became popular in the latter half of the nineteenth century. This was due to the reduced cost of cotton and also the distribution of red dye. Quilts created with the colours red and white became popular. The reduction of cost in the materials needed for quilting meant that it became a pastime also available to those with modest means.

The exhibition also features the quilt, ‘Tumbling Blocks Star Quilt,’ (as seen in Photo 4) which was made by the earliest practising female physician in Pennsylvania, Sarah Taylor Middleton who entered it at the New Jersey State Fare. Sarah was a sophisticated and accomplished seamstress and her quilt which consisted of a tumbling blocks pattern to fashion a silk pointed star, won her the first prize of a silver Ladle at the fair!

Each block is constructed of three pieces of silk, ‘tacked,’ onto diamond shaped paper and sewn together. The background fabric of blue striped silk was assembled with three lengths of fabric and stitched together with a sewing machine. Of course at this time to own a sewing machine was a luxury, and women who owned them, were often very proud, and sometimes posed for a photo with their sewing machine.

These quilts are often inextricably linked to the history of the United States and to events that took place in certain periods of history. The Marquis de Lafayette quilt for example which is also shown in the exhibition was made as a tribute to the French General who served under George Washington. It is unclear whether it is fact or fiction but it is said that during a celebratory dinner after the American Civil War that the Marquis de Lafayette attended, a woman collected the orange peels from an orange that was served to the French General. She brought them home and made a quilt block based on the shape of the orange segments. The quilt is known as the Layfayette Orange Peel Quilt.

Some of the most sought after quilts by those passionate about quilting are those which were made by the Amish communities, and the exhibition includes one. The colour black was a dominant colour in the quilts made by the Amish particularly in eastern Pennsylvania. They were typically made from light weight wool fabric in colours approved by the local religious leaders. They are often considered striking because of the rich quilting pattern which is in contrast to the plain background.

This exhibition and the activities which accompany it organised by the French Patchwork Association such as lectures, demonstrations and workshops are a real treat for those passionate about the craft of quilting, or for those who would like to have a deeper understanding of it.

Photo 1: Patch Quilt-Diamond Variations Copyright; The American Museum in Britain

Photo 2: Mosaic Diamond Quilt Copyright; American Museum in Britain

Photo 3: Queen Kapi Olani’s Fan Quilt; Copyright American Museum of Britain

Photo 4: Tumbling Blocks Star Quilt; Copyright American Museum of Britain