Quilts Tied in the 1800"s??

     I was thinking about putting a civil war era quilt together-probably this fall into winter. I don't want to get too many projects going at the same time-but I do want to make the most of my time creating while being husband's caregiver. 

   I have been making the slow stitch bags, and I did tear up lots of fabrics to make into a toothbrush rug-which I have not started yet. Or I had been painting so I have kept myself busy with arts and crafts.

  So I asked the computer tonight  about this and this is what AI says  ( I have been asking the computer different questions lately and AI always answers.

Yes, quilts were frequently tied in the 1800s, especially for utilitarian, everyday use or when the maker needed a warm blanket quickly. While fine, intricately quilted items were saved for special occasions or showpieces, tied "comforters" were a staple for winter warmth. 

Tied quilts were highly practical throughout the 19th century and beyond: 

• Utility and Warmth: Tied bedcovers were heavily utilized by pioneers on the prairie and in lumber camps to survive freezing nights. 
• The "Tying" Process: Instead of sewing thousands of tiny, intricate quilting stitches, makers secured the top, batting, and backing by passing a needle and heavy thread or yarn through all three layers and tying the ends into square knots.
• Historical Trends: In the late 1800s, thick wool "comforters" often featured ties instead of stitched quilting. Additionally, elaborately designed "crazy quilts" from the Victorian era were frequently tied rather than quilted.

  Growing up at home I always remembered my Mom's huge cabinet-floor to ceiling-filled with quilts and tied thick comforters as mentioned above .Not sure what ever happened to those quilts 

  A few years ago I made a huge flannel quilt with Yellowstone inspired fabrics with a wool batting. and the backing is also thick quality flannel. The issue has been difficult to tie do to the weight and thickness.  I need to get that out and just lay it on the floor to tie I think..  It didn't work in the quilt frame at all.  I had tried hand quilting this too with long stitches, but just too thick to do that. I have been thinking about that quilt lately.

 It is just beginning to get dark as I type this-and we have lightening bugs out there-pretty cool

 Have a good night

Slow Stitch Bag Progress & Civil War Quilt Patterns

   I have been making progress on my latest slow stitch bag. 

     On this side of the bag I used a couple of flower stencils.  used varigated thread on the yellow section so the thread matches in. In the middle of that block is a large flower. I am pleased with it.

If you click on the photos to enlarge you can see the stitch patterns better

I stitched the green patch first and then above the yellow

and a closer look at that bottom purple area to the right

   I have been looking through my civil war quilt pattern books-forgot that I had several. Most of the patterns are complex and I don't do complex blocks any more.

   I have a pattern that I have been saving that I love so may do one block to see if I want to do a whole quilt or not At the time the pattern was online and I copied it-I didn't see it on line any more The 4  corners of each block are appliqued on to the blocks. This is an early quilt pattern having the middle section of the quilt be highlighted.

  Browsing online for civil war inspired quit patterns I found these two simple ones. I don't care for those white blocks that stand out so much-I would do those with a soft brownish color Either of these would sew together pretty fast. I still have quilt batting would just need to search for backing material. I could sew together handspun fabrics that I have to create a backing that would use up fabrics-ah good idea smiles

  (My husband's health is failing since end of last week-so I am needing to keep my  mind busy on something)

   I do not care for that wide border on the edges of this one at all-I would not do that, just make the quilt pattern the width I would want for the quilt with a binding.

I really like this one-but again I don't like those white blocks-those are in these quilts for the names of the patterns but I would change that

As I had mentioned over the weekend we are in a very very hot and humid pattern this week -don't see any rain just very hot which I think many of us in the world are going through right now.

 Stay cool and hydrated