What My Mother Did Tell Me About: Patchwork Quilting

The early settlers in America weren’t responsible for it. Quilting is a process developed by the Chinese centuries ago. What the early settlers did develop was the patchwork quilt, or crazy quilt, as it is also-known.

It’s a good way to make use of scraps of fabric or the remains of clothing that you can no longer wear, for some reason or other. The instructions for making the following quilt, I have received from my mother (a very traditional way to learn quilting). It’s a very basic and simple quilt--easy to start out on. Also, it’s a good project for more than one person. In fact, it’s impossible for one to do it all alone.

First, decide on the type of material that you are going to use, and be consistent throughout the quilt. If you use cotton, don’t stick in a bit of wool someplace. If you are using the fabric from old clothing, remember to remove zippers and buttons and save them for future use.

Take an old postcard to use as a pattern and cut blocks the size of a postcard from your fabric. For a double bed size quilt you’ll need 450 blocks and 30 half blocks (allow an extra 1/2” on these for a seam).

On a sewing machine, sew the blocks together in rows--15-1/2 blocks per row. Sew the rows (or courses) together in brockwork pattern as shown. Make sure you have arranged the blocks in interesting patterns with contrasting colors and prints.