Quilting has been around for many years. Quilts were first designed for function, but later were designed for beauty. To enable people to quilt together, and to finish quilt patterns effectively and efficiently, the quilters guild or quilting bee was formed. This helped people to stay motivated to finish the quilts in an efficient manner.

It is likely that the quilters guild originated in the Crusader era, as this was the start of quilted fabrics. The quilt fabric was placed under a knight’s armor, so that the heavy metal did not cut into his skin, as the quilting fabrics were tougher and thicker than other fabrics. In some Egyptian artifacts there is evidence of quilts being used as well. The quilting guilds may have been formed during medieval times so that armor padding could be finished faster. Men probably were the first quilter participants, but when the ladies took over it became art form rather than just a functional form. In the 1700 and 1800s, quilts were used as a sign of a woman’s skill with the needle.

The first quilts were not patchwork quilts like most quilts of today, but rather all one piece of cloth. Probably the origins of the patchwork quilt come from ladies not having enough cloth for a one piece quilt. Piecing together scraps of cloth was a great way to create something beautiful, while still being frugal.

The quilters guild of today is a fun way to get together with other like-minded people, and the older, more experienced members coach the newer members on things such as quilt patterns, quilt sets, how to machine quilt, handmade quilts, patchwork quilts, and different techniques to make quilting easier. Many quilting guilds will also have fundraising shows, where the quilters sell their quilts and raise money for activities that the guild members might want to do. Some guilds are so large that they are a national or even international organization.

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