Quilts: A Keepsake for Your Generation
April 22, 2008 – 8:01 amThe women in my family have all been quilters, going back three generations to my great-grandmother. When I was growing up, I never understood why they would spend months under a lamp creating a quilt, one stitch at a time. When they were done they would put their beautifully handmade quilt in a safe place away from the sun, dust bunnies, and dirty little hands.
I am older now, and I finally appreciate the time it took them to make those quilts. Now I understand that dust, the sun, and my dirty hands would have ruined them. My grandmother and great-grandmother are gone, but I am grateful for those memories. They left behind beautiful quilts that I will someday give to my children and my grandchildren.
Mass production is now possible with advances in technology. The arts and crafts world, including quilting, has been significantly changed by mass production. Although this has increased the value of handmade quilts, it poses the question “why exactly are quilts from the days of yore better?”
When a quilter makes a quilt completely by hand, the pieces of fabric (usually squares) are chosen for artistic reasons or a similar purpose. Mass produced quilts are made with efficiency rather than with the long life of a quilt in mind. With handmade quilts, however, the design and fabric that hold the squares together are chosen so that the quilts will last lifetimes.
The quilts created by retailers or online vendors are cheap, and production is fast. You may even be allowed to choose the design, what color of fabric will be used, and where on the quilt pieces of fabric will be placed. Most of the time, these types of quilts are done quickly and end up looking just like many other quilts. If you want a quilt that is long-lasting and has been created artistically, then a custom handmade quilt is for you.
Not only can you choose the colors and design for your quilt, a custom quilter can help you decide which colors and designs will best compliment your desired look. Fiber artists truly care that your quilt is beautiful; after all, they do put their names on their quilts. You do not see this with a mass produced quilt.
Although custom handmade quilts are more expensive and take longer to make than mass-produced quilts, this is the best option if you want a keepsake. You will get a beautiful quilt that will last so long that future generations will be able to hide this keepsake from the sun, dust bunnies, and the dirty hands of their children.
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