Quilting in the American West: Stitching Together Our Patchwork Pasts

As a defining feature of Americana, quilts have been a representative of resilience, creative form, and self-reliance. They often bring many individuals together, much like the varied scraps of fabric of which they are composed. Quilts can be an individual undertaking, sometimes taking hundreds of hours to complete. 

Traditions of quilting go span generations and not only are some patterns shared and passed down from grandmother to mother, daughter, and so on, several generations of quilters gather to quilt together. Each benefits from sharing technique, patterns, and sometimes just the fellowship of quilting. You’ll find more women quilters, but that isn’t to say quilting is exclusive to any gender. The practice is universal and draws enthusiasts from all kinds of backgrounds.

Stitching Together Our Patchwork Pasts

Quilts have been used to record the names of family members over generations and the materials used are often taken from the clothing of loved ones. Quilters have used scraps from military uniforms, baby clothes, old t-shirts, and even older quilts to create a record of history with each scrap, square, and stitch holding a place in the history of not only the quilter but a community of people. 

When immigrants set their sights on distant lands, carrying only a few personal effects with them, quilts were among the scant possessions that were brought along. Not only for the practicality of warmth and comfort, but also the cultural history, identity, and family history they preserved.

Quilting: a Sign of Protest and Social Commentary

Quilting has been not only a practical way to create works of art, but has also been used as a form of resistance and solidarity. Enslaved African Americans and were often limited to using scraps to create blankets. In their creations they often stitched in messages or symbols, as ways to recognize safe havens along the Underground Railroad or those sympathetic to their search for freedom.

Quilters have often pooled their talents to stand for socio-political causes. From the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s to statements on domestic violence, quilting has been a complex way of conveying a message, which not only embodies the feminine, but also elicits an almost subconscious feeling of warmth and protection.

Getting Started in Quilting

Seeing complex patterns with several bolts of cloth might seem like an impossible undertaking. The truth of the matter is every quilter started with their first quilt. They made mistakes. They continued to practice, and they got better—with every missed stitch or crooked corner being a lesson. Quilting to some can be considered a metaphor for life if you look at it that way.

The best way to get started with quilting is to find other quilters. This is why the Cozy Moose Quilting Cottage in Walden, CO offers classes and workshops for quilters of many different levels of experience. 

The Cozy Moose Quilting Cottage

Melissa Coover has been running the Cozy Moose Quilting Cottage in Walden, CO for a little over three years. In a corner of the Walden Candle Company at 476 Main Street, you’ll find this modest storefront, which not only serves as a place to buy quilting supplies, but also a gathering place for workshops and quilting classes.

Here are some of the things you can find at the Cozy Moose Quilting Cottage:

• Fabric and Material: Bolts of cotton, synthetic blends, backing and more. 
• Kits and Patterns: A great place to start for beginners and the experienced alike. Kits often include materials needed and patterns allow you more flexibility when selecting fabric for your project.
• Notions: Tools of the trade. From wheel cutters and scissors to pins and needles. Seam rippers for mistakes and thread, boards, and clips to keep your seams flat and your cuts straight.
• Fellow quilters!: One of the best ways to get better at quilting is to become a part of the quilting community. Share your ideas, frustrations, and skills with a growing community of quilters.

Classes and Workshops

The Cozy Moose Quilting Cottage maximizes use of its floorspace, not only with fabric and equipment, but also a great location for classes and workshops. Classes are limited by availability, and may fill up quickly. Melissa also holds an Open Sew regularly for quilters. Space is limited, so give her a call at (970) 723-3224 to find out more about available seats and fees for quilting classes and workshops.

Stop by to see what new items are in stock as well as the featured Block of the Month. Supplies are limited and shipping is available for an additional postage fee. To learn more, follow the Cozy Moose Quilting Cottage on Facebook. 

The Upcoming March Quilt Camp—March 14-16

This year Melissa Coover is hosting a quilt camp on March 14-16 from 9am-5pm at the white church on the north end of Main Street in Walden, next door to Timberline Builder Supply. This three day event will give quilters a chance to get together, work on strengthening techniques, and building connections in the North Park community. 

A fee of $20 for all three days, or $10 per day will get you access to some amazing instruction and networking among local quilters.

So pack your lunch and bring your work in progress and any questions. Contact Melissa at (970) 723-3224 or email [email protected] for details. Or just stop by the Cozy Moose Quilting Cottage at 476 Main Street in Walden to register. 

How to Get Started

If you are interested in quilting, joining a quilting club or taking a quilting class is the place to start. This will give you a good idea of not only what materials, tools, and equipment you will need, but also a support system to encourage you to take on a challenge that might lead to a lifelong passion.

Quilting in the American West is a strong tradition of Americana, and perhaps one of its greatest strengths is that it is essentially unlimited as to who can learn to quilt and create quilts of their own. Books on quilting, patterns, videos, and even classes help quilters of different levels of experience as well as age ranges to make quilts. Today, quilters can be individuals just starting out with YouTube tutorials, or experienced quilters with networks of fellow quilters who gather and show off their creations at county fairs, galleries, and quilt shows. 

Know Before You Go

If you are thinking of getting into quilting, there are some things to keep in mind:

• Keep your eyes open for different quilts that inspire you. Go to quilt shows and local fairs, ask to see family quilts that someone might have stored away from your grandmother or before.
• Quilting is an art, and like any other art form, it can be rigid and regimented or an almost improvisational expression of emotion, color, and mastery of technique. 
• Quilting is a practical exercise in mathematics and geometry. Cutting, stitching, and precision align with patience and planning. 
• Quilting is much like putting a puzzle together. This level of focus and cognition can be a great way to exercise memory and problem solving. 
• Social Media Detox! Quilting beats doomscrolling TikTok all day.
• Quilting may become your latest obsession, so be careful when budgeting for patterns and materials and be mindful of how much space in your home you are going to dedicate to this obsession…er, activity. 
• Beginning quilting might result in a somewhat healthy addiction that preserves a culturally important piece of American history.

A Living Tradition of the West

Small towns throughout the Rocky Mountains of Colorado have cultural traditions that run deep. European settlers arrived to North Park at the turn of the 20th Century, and the area continued to grow, often with people who came from agricultural backgrounds, forestry, or mining. With these occupations came a strong background in self-reliance, and much like the quilts they created, these groups of different people built patchwork communities. They used what they could to survive harsh winters and limited resources.

National level quilt shows bring thousands of participants to gather and see some of the most complex and creative quilts ever stitched together. Whether you are a novice putting together your first block pattern, or someone inspired by the Golden Ratio and Fibonacci sequence, there is a place for you among the quilting community.

Quilting is a textile art that goes back hundreds of years. The art of quilting can range from rustic and expressive to complex and geometric. The extent of a quilt’s significance is often without bounds. As with any tradition, the best way to preserve it isn’t in museums or books, but continuing to pass on these traditions to the next generation.