Any quilters?

It has quite a following in't UK

I am, but I don't think it is anything like the US. 

It is way more expensive here and there just isn't the selection. 

There are a few online shops that look good, but I can't really buy online.  I have a hard time seeing if fabrics go together. 

It is expensive because the fabrics are almost universally imported from the US. But, lots of things are expensive compared to the US LOL


I don't like buying online, either, as the colour is just never the same.

Pardon my ignorance as I don't, never have and probably never will make a quilt,
but I thought quilt making was sewing patches of material together.

I would have thought that there would be loads of material to choose from here. What is different? The material composition, the patterns? And even if the material patterns are different here, would that not create an even more one-of-a-kind quilt? Perhaps a quilt made up of various tartans?

Not picking, just genuinely curious.

You can make a quilt out of anything. I've even seen one made from neoprene! But "quilter's grade cotton" is a very high quality cotton which is more likely to be of heirloom quality than, say, sheets or old shirts.

It also comes in really contemporary designs and in thousands of colours, is easier to work with small pieces as it's less likely to fray, is easier to iron, the colours won't run (usually), is often preshrunk, etc etc etc.

So, in short, you can (and people do) use all kinds of things

I'm not a quilter, but my sister works in the quilting fabric business, she is one of the big sellers to Walmart etc. Quilting is BIG BUSINESS in the US, but not as much in the UK IMO.

You can make a quilt out of anything. I've even seen one made from neoprene! But "quilter's grade cotton" is a very high quality cotton which is more likely to be of heirloom quality than, say, sheets or old shirts.

It also comes in really contemporary designs and in thousands of colours, is easier to work with small pieces as it's less likely to fray, is easier to iron, the colours won't run (usually), is often preshrunk, etc etc etc.

So, in short, you can (and people do) use all kinds of things

I see. Learn a little bit everyday. 

You also want to make sure your fabric is about the same quality all over too.  Because different types shrink more than others and that can rip yours seams. 

Yes, very good point! And that your thread types matches the fabric. Polyester thread is stronger than cotton fabric so will tear your seams, too.

This is all very interesting because quilting is nothing like what I thought it was. I really thought quilting was a Coat of Many Colors sort of thing but applied to blankets.
But it made me look into quilts to see how my perceived history and the reality compared. As far as Colonial America is concerned, it has its roots with the richer folk who had time and money to work on these things. The poor made do with ordianry blankets until mid 1800's.

Came across this little piece that I thought was interesting:

During American pioneer days "paper" quilting became popular. Paper was used as a pattern and each individual piece of cut fabric was basted around the paper pattern. Paper was a scarce commodity in the early American west and women would save letters from home, newspaper clippings, and catalogs to use as patterns. The paper not only served as a pattern but as an insulator. The paper found between the old quilts has become a primary source about pioneer life.  

http://www.womenfolk.com/historyofquilts/

Oh bless, you're so sweet LOL

I don't mean that in a patronizing way, but it's really very cool of you to look into it more {{hug}}

I've seen an English paper pieced quilt that still had the papers intact and they had been cut out of a newspaper. So cool.

I think the reason that quilting isn't more popular with young people is the very perception you were talking about. People think of tatty old chintz blankets made from their nan's clothes. While those quilts are historical documents and works of art in their own right, they aren't that exciting for anyone other than diehard fans and quilt historians (yes, there really is such a thing!).

The hobby and artform rely on open minds and interested people, so thanks for checking it out

Oh bless, you're so sweet LOL

    

The hobby and artform rely on open minds and interested people, so thanks for checking it out

It was actually interesting or at least I found that site a bit interesting. Keeps the grey matter supple. Believe it or not, I even read the entire Warwickshire Policing Our Communities pdf but not nearly as interesting as quilt history.