FRUGALITY

Patchwork was born out of necessity and frugality using bits and pieces of old clothing and scraps to produce an item of warmth.  There are some wonderful books that document the history of quiltmaking from the beginning to our current large industry that supports the creative aspect of the fiber arts.  One of my favorites about the history is  "The American Quilt, a History of Cloth and Comfort  1750-1950" by Roderick Kiracofe.  

My personal quilt history includes being raised by three households of women who had just emerged from the 1930's great depression and World War II, and were greatly aware of frugality in all aspects of their lives.  That frugality, in addition to the creative aspect, has always been important in my journey learning to make quilts.  My first thought when designing a new quilt is what do I have on hand that I can use for the project without purchasing anything else.  As much as I love fabric, I'm not a very profitable consumer for the industry.  I never buy on speculation; only purchasing the smallest amount that is necessary to complete a project.  Whatever small scraps left from that purchase are saved to be included in a future quilt. 

So here we are --- my current quilt, called Frugality.  The block design comes from the 19th century, and was named Economy Patch.  I intended the setting to be larger in scale; but I relied on the fabric I had on hand, and there wasn't quite enough for my original plan.  So, I just made it smaller in order to satisfy my creative urges for the design.  It won't keep anyone warm, but I still like it! 

THE STATS:  Frugality, 2024, 21"x24", Paper pieced, Machine pieced, Machine quilted.

Below is my first quilt, made at age 11; and includes scraps of my grandmothers' dresses and aprons.