The history of patchwork quilting in America dates back to the first New England colonists. I love all the old patterns and am using replicated fabric from the civil war era. It is amazing the colors they were able to produce with the limited dyes available.

Most of the colonists had brought quilted coverlets with them but they quickly discovered the need for more substantial blankets with the harsh winters they faced. Fabric was scarce and the women stitched together whatever bits and scraps were at hand to create larger pieces of cloth. These early patchworks were probably sewn randomly, in the style known as crazy quilt, but as fabric became more available simple geometric motifs were developed, and patchwork quilting began to evolve into a genuine American art form.