Scrap Quilts...it's not hard to see why they are called that. I suppose they could just as easily be called "Leftovers" or something. Quite a few words describe what they are. I find myself wondering if we choose them, or if they chose us. I used to think that liking scraps quilts was directly connected to home sewers. And I do think it's an easy transition from home(clothes and such) sewing to using the left over pieces to make a quilt.
But today there are many young gals, making scrap quilts and many of them have never sewn clothing for themselves or children. Maybe they got interested, after seeing the scrap quilts of older quilters. How much easier it is today, to have, or study, or view hundreds of scrappy quilts in so many places. There weren't quilts shows and quilt market, and national gatherings way back when. There were contests and Fairs..county and state. Having a quilt ribbon at the Fair was a huge deal! I remember reading about a huge contest, nationwide, back at the time of the Chicago World's Fair....the year eludes me. McCall's Needlework magazine ran the contest as I remember, and published photographs of the winning quilt. I think all of that is part of the Smithsonian now.
So why do you do it...? With all the fabric in the world(so to speak) available to us, and fabric for well co0ordinated quilts at our beck and call, why do we cut up yardages, trade with other quilters, mix it up, beat it up, over dye it, tea dye it, etc, etc, etc to get the scrappy quilt tops of the past? I think it is about connectiion. A need to link ourselvcs, hand to hand, or quilt to quilt with what came before us. We add our footprints and handprints to the path across time, knowing and trusting that those who come after us, will do the same......a passing of the torch, so to speak.
The quilt above(which was suppose to be right here) is a Jacob's Ladder Variation. It's not usually set to form the straight furrows that you see. It's also not usually made from all Polka Dots...*S* But as the quilt maker, that's MY choice. I can make it the traditional set and colors, or I can make it MY way. This one reflects my collection of polka dotted fabric, with all muslin for background. It is machine pieced and utility quilted. Its called "Open Call For Polka Dots, Alot of Wanna Bes". It has gone on to live with the son of a special and very important to me Dr. I owe what vision I have to him...*VBS* I loved making this quilt and probably will make another, but different.