America's Earliest Quilts: Necessity Not the Mother of Invention

blue resist detail c. 1760

When it comes to America's earliest quilts and coverlets, necessity was not the mother of invention.  Quiltmaking required time and resources. Quilts were elegant objects made by affluent families, and decorative sewing was a skill developed in finishing schools by refined young women.

wholecloth quilt, c. 1790, New England

In the colonial period, before many mills were up and running in America, fabric was mostly imported and heavily taxed. Quilts and other decorative bedcovers were among the furnishings in well appointed homes. They were included in dowry chests and listed in estate records.

parchwork quilt, c. 1800, Rhode Island

Quilts, counterpanes, canopes, bed curtains, valences and bed rugs were all part of the bedroom decor in wealthy, colonial households. Fancy bedcovers included stuffed work, appliqué, embroidery and later, geometric patchwork. 

2012 "Quilts in the Baltimore Manner" exhibition at Colonial Williamsburg

Many of the surviving examples from the period were made with fabrics purchased new. The counterpanes of Achsah Goodwin Wilkins were made with repurposed fabrics -- specifically, cut-out chintz appliquéd -- and those cut-out chintz fabrics were fresh off the boat and fresh off the bolt.

an elegant Achsah Goodwin Wilkins counterpane, c. 1820s

Colonial Williamsburg has a superb example in its collection. The counterpane, one of four known to still exist, was exhibited in a 2012 exhibition called "Quilts in the Baltimore Manner" at Colonial Williamsburg. It retains much of its original color and the chintz still has a glossy sheen.

1820s Achsah Goodwin Wilkins counterpane, donated to DAR Museum

Another outstanding example is in the collection of the D.A.R. Museum in Washington, D.C., and was recently on display as part of the 2014 "Eye on Elegance" exhibition.

In her essay "Eye on Elegance, Early Quilts of Maryland and Virginia" curator Alden O'Brien comments on the early traditions in American quiltmaking.

"...these bedcovers were the product of leisure time and affluence."

"Seasoned devotees of historical quilts know that the oft-repeated tale of quilting's having emerged from frugal necessity is erroneous. Yet it continues to be repeated.

"The quilts in this exhibit, representing typical designs that survive from the early 19th century, tell a different story. Constructed in intensely time-consuming techniques, from fabrics whose price per yard might exceed a servant's weekly wages, these bedcovers were the product of leisure time and affluence."

early 19th century stuffed work quilt

Today's show quilts are part of a long tradition of elegant bedcovers in America. Quiltmaking was originally an activity for people who had disposable income and leisure time. The surviving quilts point to a legacy of intricate, elaborate needlework; fancy, sophisticated objects made to be decorative and beautiful.
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