A People and Their Quilts - History of Quilts in Southern Appalachia 

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Oh, I love quilting so much! It's funny....no one in my family quilted. Not my mother or grandmother or any of my aunts. I started quilting a couple of years ago and I simply adore it! It brings me so much joy! In fact, I am working on starting my own RU-vid channel all about my journey toward quilting and what I love about it so much.

Tipper, you probably have no idea how you & your family bring people together...thank you for that ! Much needed in these times.

My Mamaw is featured in this book. John Rice spent many hours at my Mamaw and Papaw’s house for this book and also his American Mountain People book. It is a must read also. I love how he shows the pictures of these precious people.

As a boy I stayed at my Great Grandparents’ house, mostly at Christmas time. I was assigned my Uncle Junior’s room which was unheated and always featured an open window. I was always so grateful for the giant stack of quilts Great Grandma piled on that bed. To this day I have at least one quilt on my bed. Nothing else feels right.

My goodness, I still love being read to! ❤ I am a quilter and thought I was the only one in the family until my great aunt passed. They found quilts, quilt patterns, and ideas sketched out for future quilts among her things. As the only other quilter in the family these treasures came to me. So grateful to have them!!

I adore quilts and have all of my maternal grandmother’s quilts that she made. When she gave them to me, she told me to use them daily, because that is the reason she made them. So I have been enjoying them all 41 years of our marriage. This book is very interesting and informative, and I look forward to hearing the stories connected to quilting.

I am a quilter. My grandma taught me how to quilt on a frame when I was just a little girl. She made every stitch by hand. Said if a machine touched it, it was not a handmade quilt. I still quilt on a frame in my home and belong to a quilting circle. Thank you for reading this book to us. I can listen while I quilt!

I still have a quilt that my dad’s aunt made for my parents back when we moved in to our house back in 1976, I inherited it. It’s blue and white the colors of their bedroom at the time. It’s so pretty❣️

I love John Rice Irwin! I bought that book waaayyy back! I love the oral histories and photographs. I have a couple of his books and I hope to get over to his museum one day. Quilting was my life for many years. I need to get a new area set up to see again. I have more fabric than I think I can ever see myself out of! My grandmothers and my mother quilted. Many years, I don’t buy presents. I just give quilts. It seems every one I’ve ever given away (which is most) was like you gave them a bar of gold. So appreciated! I also have a huge collection of antique quilts and unfinished tops. I love to hand quilt the tops. I’ve done both machine and hand quoting. I even have a treadle machine that I’ve used to piece some. I think this is a great video! You wil get many views on this video, for years to come. Quilting has become a multi billion dollar a year industry in the past 20 years or so. It’s nice to see the younger ones wanting to take it up!

Love it! I love quilting, my favorite hobby. I love quilts and the history behind them! Love this book, thank you for choosing it 💖 My first quilt was given to me by my Aunt who made it out of my Mother's maternity clothes that they had hand made, I was 15 yrs old. I still have it and now I'm 64 yrs old. Quilts are very special to me.

Not only did my grandmother quilt,my grandfather did as well. I am blessed to have inherited a couple of those masterpieces!They were from Polk County, Tennessee.

I am tickled to death that you are reading this book. Since I have it also, I'll read along with you, Tipper. Thank you for Friday readings 😊 I hope you'll consider showing Granny's quilts during these weeks that you share this book.

A friend of mine made a quilt for my baby girl while I was pregnant, and I treasure it so very much. Thank you for sharing this book with us, and for sharing Appalachian stories.

I remember the beautiful quilts of my Mom's family. I sister still quilts, her quilts are beautiful too, she makes them to the design and colors her grands choose. Thank you Tipper! ❤🙏

Thank you for selecting this book to share with us. I too am a quilter but quilt alone. I have a 3 yr old granddaughter who just got her “big girl bed” so am making her first quilt & already began to collect beautiful fabrics pieces for her bridal quilt. This tradition lives on even in this day & age. Many thanks for all your efforts. Love your channel!

I remember my mother having quilting bees when I was young in the 1950's. I have some of those quilts and will pass them down to my kids and grandkids. Those quilts along with a feather bed sure keep me warm on cold winter nights.

As a quilter, I love this book choice. Thank you Tipper.

I am so glad we are starting a new book! Thank you

Thanks for sharing all this. I can't think of anything that shows the practical side of Appalachia as well as their creativity. All the women in my family were quilters.

My Mamaw made a quilt for me over 35 years ago. She’s been gone for several years and her quilt is a treasure to me.

Oh wow that brings back memories of my grandma's quilting frame that was in the front dinning room of her house. She made all ten of us grandkids a quilt for Christmas one year. But I remember her and a few ladies that were neighbors making quilts.😊😊

I purchased this book when it was published several decades ago and have read it countless times. Beautiful quilting and incredible people

Love to hand quilt. My grandmother and mother quilted. Hope it’s coming back. Quilts are a treasure!! Thanks, Tipper! God bless and much love! 🙏🏻💕🤗🙏🏻

I'm loving this book about the history of quilts. The love of quilting has passed from at least three generations in my family from my great grandmother born in 1865 to my grandmother who loved to "piece quilts" and finally to myself. Recently my cousin was given a quilt block from a neatly folded stack of unfinished blocks of what probably was to have been a friendship quilt where each lady in the community would make a different block to be joined together. This one was a basket block with our great grandmothers' initials and last name that she embroidered! It was probably made around 1935 since she died in 1945. Since all of us cousins could not physically have this precious piece of family history, my cousin had canvas pictures made from the original quilt block and gave them to us for Christmas!!

I remember way back when I was young, my aunt would have quilting parties at her house, and they would work on 4 or 5 quilts at a time, and my sister who lives down in Missouri has been making beautiful quilts herself for the past several years. Thank you for taking the time to read these great books to us!❤

This video is hard for me to watch without having tears. My Grandmother won awards for Her beautiful patchwork quilts She made from pieces of tossed off cloth. Every Grandchild received one, usually on their 16th birthday. Mine was damaged beyond repair when shipped when I was in the US Navy. Someone made me a Navy themed lap quilt. It is nice, however, it is not the same as Grandma's and cannot replace that special one.

For folks that can sew a straight seam...a super fast fun method is called Quilt As You Go. You can find examples on RU-vid. You sew all layers at once. The method is shown on some instructional videos. Another trick for speedy look of a quilt is that Spoonflower enables you to set up a collection of designs...and "pour" the design into squares in a digital manner. Once you select your fabric choice and fill the squares digitally then you order it, Spoonflowers prints it...and it can look like a top without all the top piecing. The quilt as you go technique ought to work with these "faux quilt tops". Might be fun for baby quilts.

You're in my neck of the woods now... about 8 miles from Irwin's place. I'm very happy to have quilts my mom made... and that her mother made.. I treasure them and will pass them on because they were created with love. Wonderful history... thanks Tipper 🎉🎉🎉

My mother’s momma, her daughters, sisters and even some of my grandmas aunts would come during the end of summer into fall and quilt each otherswork they had done during the year. They shared patterns and stitches and gathered together to remember the old days. I was a small girl and I would sit under the quilting frame and watch the needles move in and out of the cloth and around the quilt while the women talked about their lives past and present. All those glorious women are gone now but I still have a few thread bare treasures to remind me of those days. I still have the quilt my mom and grandma and an aunt made me for a wedding present almost 42 years ago. I quilted a bit in my life but nothing to compete with those truly gifted women, most of whom were seamstresses by trade. Thank you so much for reading that book to us, I truly am enjoying it. Many blessings to you and yours for a healthy and happy and prosperous new year!

I love the utilitarian quilts best, too! Thank you for reading to us, Tipper. Much love! 💜🙏

I have a quilt made by my great-great grandmother. She made the whole thing by hand. I recently have been looking into making quilts, so your reading of this book is perfect timing. 😊

I used to sew most of my clothes beginning at about 14 years old. Mama sewed & made quilts & clothes; my oldest sister used to make us kids flour sack dresses to wear. Even my brother was good at sewing on trims and things on quilts, car seats, etc. The sister closest to me taught me how to sew. She made dresses, coats & even her wedding dress which was beautiful! When my son was growing up I'd make him "jams," which were very popular shorts in the 80's. I am still the proud owner of a quilt my grandmother did the top part of & my mama finished quilting it & tacking it. It is probably about 100 yrs old. It needs washing, but I'm scared to death to try to wash it! If anyone has any suggestions I'd greatly appreciate them! Tipper, you always seem to pick a book that brings me so many wonderful memories! Thank you for this. You have no idea how much it helps me to forget the struggles that face me daily. But God is good always, and I thank Him for every little blessing He sends our way! Much love & blessings to you & the family from VA!

Such fascinating info! Thank you for bringing it to us. My great grandmother came from Germany to upstate NY in the early 1900s and I have 2 quilts that she made prior to my birth which was 1957. I just love them❤️ I can’t wait to hear more.

Thank you for this SO much!! My husband watches your channel, saw this video and enlisted the help of a neighbor to find and purchase a copy for me for my 15th birthday (I'm a leap year baby). I'm a quilter and when he retired from the fire service we moved from Central Ohio to Hancock County, Tennessee! I LOVE this book!! Thank you SOO much!!

Quilting is my passion! Thank you, Tipper, for sharing this story of quilting in Appalachia.

I love homemade quilts. All of my quilts have stories, especially my crazy quilt my mom made me from leftover scraps of mine and my sister's homemade dresses from forty five yrs ago. Thank you for reading ❤

I was blessed to grow up with quilters in my family;my mom and aunts on both sides. I started making baby quilts for when we had our first niece on my husband’s side. I have been quilting over 50 years. My quilts are always made to be used. Sewing is my happy place and giving things I have made even better. Looking forward to this book. Thanks.

I love learning stories that dispel the myths of history. This is so important on so many subjects. Quilting is just one way to really being history alive & bring reality to what our families were living through generations ago. Thanks Tipper. Looking forward to more!💠💠💠💠

A lot of my father's family in WV are quilters and seeing a bed turning when visiting was my own inspiration to learn the art. I don't live close so I had to use books, magazines, and PBS shows to learn the skills. This is a very interesting book to listen to. During the readings, I hope you share your quilts (even the ratty ones) with us. I had a picture printed and framed of my family at a quilting bee sitting around a quilting frame. It hangs in my sewing room. One of my treasures is a quilt that my Great Aunt Pauline made. I received it after her passing. Thank you for sharing another aspect of mountain history.

I've had this book since it came out, and I'm so happy that you're reading from it. I learned to quilt from a lady in her 80s, and it's been such a large part of my life. Still doing it by hand.

I have quilted over 50 years. My grandmother had quilt bees under a big tree in the yard. They did it during harvest when all the men would be in the fields. They would all bring the quilts they made to get ready for winter. My grandparents both lived into the 80’s and never had indoor plumbing or any kind of heat other than wood and coal. The quilts were needed in the winter. So many beautiful memories of those times and learning to love to quilt. I have researched quilt history for years and I find it fascinating how they were used. The stories of the quilts and Underground Railroad is amazing how the pattern helped lead the people. Quilting is a beautiful history and a lot of my memories included watching my grandmother and great aunts. We were rural Appalachia but it did span world wide. Thank you for this book I love it so far.

I am going to enjoy this book because I am a quilter. I have a couple of quilts from my late husband's mother & grandmother & a few of mine. I don't sew much anymore but still have all my supplies for anytime I get the urge to start sewing again.

Very informative video! ❤ While I grew up Appalachia, nobody in my family quilted except my Great Grandmother, who came here from Holland. She may have come in the late 1800's. She made soo many amazingly beautiful quilts!!!

I really enjoyed the Christmas stories and this reading as well. I have to admit that all those stories make me a little sad. Woven into all of those readings is a common theme of people living a hard life struggling to survive. Like the lady who kept her children home from school and covered up in bed to keep them warm. Her number one concern was the survival of her children. But despite the adversity, they were able to make lives for themselves as adults. Really speaks to the resilience of the human spirit. My Scotch-Irish ancestors first settled in VA/WV and PA. I know many of my relatives came from very meager beginnings, similar to the folks mentioned in the readings you have shared. It makes me really ponder the lives they lived and the struggles they faced. I am very proud of my Appalachian heritage.

Hearing this history of quilting is fascinating. This sounds like a great book. I do not have any talent with sewing of any sort, my mother made her own clothes early on but I never knew her to do any quilting except on occasion with the quilters at our church and they taught her what to do. I have several quilts from Mama, but I do not know who made them. When I came to Murphy in July we stopped in a ladies shop on that same street as the Cherokee Historical Museum. She has a lot of quilts in her little shop. When I told her that I have several from my mother she encouraged me to get them out and try to wash them and hang them. She also said she would look at them and try to help me date them and estimate their value. I think it is a wonderful talent to be able to make these, those in the book you showed are beautiful.

Thank you for this reading. I started quilting about 10 years ago. I'm going to really enjoy this book 😊.

Tipper, my dad was a quilter. He machine appliquéd his tops and they were pieces of art for sure. One was made especially for a train museum in Texas. He also did upholstery of cars/boats, furniture and awnings. He made everyone in the family a quilt. When he passed on, I took it up. I’m not as talented, but I treasure the mantle that was passed on to me. He being from Green mountain, he knew the value of making what you need. He was so creative. Drawing, sewing, carving/whittling, carpentry, guitar, singing, preaching. I miss him soooo much. He came out of the mountains feeling like a poor, nobody but God used him and taught him so many things. 🙌🏻🙏🏻❤️✝️

I remember my mother makeing quilts, and i remember hearing her talk of her mother, and grand mother quilting. I remember as a teen trying to do some quilting my self, however i dont remember being sucessful at it.❤❤

I love quilts, especially older ones. I'm not a quilter, but my mother made lots of quilts for purpose of warmth and later she made quilts specifically for certain family members. I have several quilts she made some of which were made specifically for me. She made each of her grandchildren a quilt. I love the pretty patterned quilts and also the "crazy quilts" made up of left over fabric scraps in so certain pattern. This history of quilts is interesting. I don't know of any "Quilting Bees" in our community. When I was growing up, I remember my mother helping my aunt who lived next to us and also a neighbor lady across the road quilt. They in turn helped her when she "put in a quilt".

I am a novice quilter Tipper and I am loving this book from both the Down Home and Quilting History.

Thank you for sharing that with us. Can't wait to get the book. Quilts are thing of beauty. I have two store bought quitls I use on my bed. They are so comforting. I tried quilting years ago. It's a lot of work. Much respect for those ladies.

In the last couple months, I have been able to participate in a quilting bee with local ladies in my community. I will have to share this with them. They'll love it. Thank you, Tipper!

My grandma and aunt are master quilters and my mom and I have made a few quilts as well :) I’m currently trying to make a completely hand sewn quilt. It will take a while but I really wanted to accomplish that at least once 🤗

Lovely. Thank you, Tipper. I listened while piecing my grandson's hexagon quilt.

My grandmother quilted using,the Star of David, Log Cabin, Flower Garden,and Wedding Ring patterns. That was how she spported herself as a widow.

Captivating !! 👏👏👏🔰This video series, about friendly history of quilting , already gains my attention; and anticipation towards hearin more!💛❤

Quilting is my passion. Its crazy how easy it is to become addicted to quilting. I especially love hearing the history of quilting. Tipper i so enjoy your readings snd listened to every Christmas story Tears came to my eyes when i saw Granny and your brother Paul sing Slient Night. It was so very beautiful. You and your family have given me so joy. Thank you.❤

I didn’t realize you started another book! I love these historical ones, my favorite!! My Mamie made all her children quilts, and she made me a little quilted baby blanket. My favorite was a Dutch doll quilt, it was the most comfortable blanket I’ve ever felt to this day. I wanted it when she passed, but didn’t end up with it. Looked for one online and they are expensive! Blessings

Mr. Irwin always has my attention. This is going to be a great read. Thank you Tipper!

Love to quilt. I have made about 51 in the past 3 years and have never sold one. They are gifted to family and friends.Great pastime.

Iam a quilter and I have been flowing you site for a while enjoy food and garden but love thatyou have found this craft please keep finding more history

Enjoyed listening to you read to us about the history of quilts Tipper. Thank you 😊

Thank you for sharing, Praying and Blessed! 🤗🙏💕❄️⛄

I love to piece a quilt! I also have the book you are reading to us. I have been quilting for quite a while and being in my sewing room is one of my happy places for sure.

Thank you, Miss Tipper...

I absolutely Love Quilts and have several from my Grandma and Mamaw and my Aunts.😊❤🙏🏻

Thank you for sharing. In foothills of Blue Ridge below Va/NC state line my people quilted old timey crazy quilts and patterned quilts. Some were tacked some were stitched. Treasured memories.

Looking forward to this. All of the women in my family quilt. My husband’s grandmother was also a quilter. I was never interested until recently. I like to sew, though. This year, I will make my first quilt. The quilters in my life have passed away, so I will learn modern techniques following a RU-vid series and my first quilt will be made from a kit. I know that my family embraced new change as well as new techniques and tools, so I know they would be cheering me on if they were here.

Thanks Tipper, I’m going to enjoy this book!❤️🇨🇦🎄🙏

Ohhh I am a quilter and gonna love this !! Also love John Rice Irwin !!

As always, what a wonderful video, Tipper. I love that you share stories and books and am anxious to listen to each chapter of this book. My great grandmothers quilted and their quilts are treasures, I wish I had their stories regarding how they made them. Thank you for being such a peaceful and beautiful place of refuge in this far too modern world.

I have that book. I bought it when we visited the museum. I love to look through it over and over. Thank you.

My Great Aunt would walk down the railroad tracks, to the old brick plant and the women would quilt. Good memories.

Earl Hamner incorporated Aunt Dinah/Bringing Nellie Home on an episode of the Waltons. The entire cast sang it. My favorite. Brilliant. It is on youtube.

Quilting was huge in my family. My dad's mom taught me & it was a treat when she had one to quilt up. Her , me & my cousin did the quilting & the younger small er cousins, including the boys kept our needles in thread. The older aunts & cousins kept the snacks & drinks coming. We'd share stories, ask questions about back in the day & laugh. The time went by fast & we could do a big quilt in a day, ready for Granny to do the binding on her petal Singer sewing machine. Everyone's done by hand except putting blocks together (applique quilts) & the binding. I have Granny's thimble, some of her patterns & tops that still need quilting up

I really enjoyed this book so far - my maternal grandmother, Grandma, quilted every evening - she had eleven children - she made quilts because they needed them to keep warm - Grandma made a light weight quilt that I was lucky to get - it I was about seventy years old when I got it - it is so soft - she made what she called crazy quilts - just scraps of cloth of all different colors and patterns - my paternal grandmother, Mama Smith, quilted also - she made beautiful quilts and embroidered the squares - my mother got three quilt tops when she passed away and had them quilted for me and my two sisters - my quilt has embroidered flowers in the squares - it is put together with yellow between the squares and lavender on the back - I have five quilts I have saved from thrift/junk stores - I bought them, washed them then took them to different ladies that repaired them - they are beautiful! 🤩 I love old quilts!

I quilt, but no expert at it. I’ve made several. I sew the tops by machine, but I tie or hand quilt through the layers to finish them off, with the exception of small quilts. Small quilts I can fit through my small Brother sewing machine. It’s not a quilting machine, just a basic sewing machine, but it gets the job done. I’m working on one now as I listen to you read. I love this quilt story it’s going to be very interesting to hear more of the history and stories behind quilts.

I'm so excited for this book! I have several quilts made by both my Grandmothers!

Tipper the book about quilting is fabulous, I helped my Grandma piece together a quilt she's the one who taught me how to sew it looked like it was sewing machine sewed, anyway Grandma gifted that very quilt for a Christmas present that year I was so proud and used it long after I married and sadly it began to tatter after many year's of use, I really Loved my quilt me and Grandma made together and the stories she shared too. I can hardly wait for you to read more next Friday, Bless You Miss Tipper for Celebrating Appalachia Videos, I feel like I'm a part of a Special Family Thank You 🙏💛

Part of my inheritance from my Granny was in quilts she made. I have her quilting rack. I put one across the back of my den sofa thats colors and patterns suit the season. Right now for Christmas and winter, I have a pieced one with a green, red, navy plaid flannel backing. Doing this makes me remember my roots.

My very first wedding quit was a quilt from an aunt on the day we were officially engaged!

I got all of John Rice Irwin's books. The Museum of Appalachia is a favorite place. Anyone who hasn't been there should make it a priority!

Well of course I love this book! 😊

Very interesting thanks Tipper God bless ❤

So interesting. My sister is a quilter. Looking forward to the next reading. ❤

Im a hometown history buff too. I love the part about the little kids keeping warm under the quilt and how some of them came back to visit in later years. I was hoping he would have asked about the quilt LOL. I am not much on the fancy quilts, they are pretty but I love the old patchwork ones the most. I have two that my husbands grandmother, his mother and his great grandmother all pieced together out old clothes the family once wore. Some of those squares are from shirts my husband wore as a little boy, some are old aprons and from the womens dresses and mens work shirts. Not a single soul in my family ever quilted or sewed, LOL I guess we just stuck to cooking and cleaning

Hey Tipper, I know nothing about quilting, but I do know of women who do it and I understand it's an art that takes a lot of time, hard work and patience. I know I'll enjoy this reading. God bless y'all and continued prayers for Granny. One more thing, I'd like to hear you say "Massachusetts" three times fast. ❤❤❤

My Granny quilted many quilts. When a grand daughter got married she would give them a wedding ring quilt as a gift. I can quilt but I like to make quilts using my sewing machine. It goes a lot faster than quilting with just a needle and thread. I can sew appliqués on the squares of my quilts and I think they are just as pretty as hand stitched quilts. Thanks for starting a new book. I’m really looking forward to it just like all the other ones you have read. Have a happy new year.

Sounds like a very interesting book, thank you for reading for us. 🙂

Just found this series & just ordered the book so I can follow along!! Thank you ❤❤

Well I’m looking forward to hearing about the people and their quilts. Coincidentally, today I just put a quilt in the hoop that is for my husband. I’m planning on putting a king sized double Irish chain quilt on my big frame on New Year’s Day. That one is for my grandson. Have a good weekend my friend and say hello to the fam.❤. TeresaSue.

My grandmothers on both sides quilted. Just at home though. I can remember my mothers mother who lived us as always quilting. My sister has several quilts made by her.

I grew up in Fairfield Alabama and remember people there in the 50s/60s having quilting parties every now and then. Only remember because they were called parties and I was curious in case it was like a birthday. My older neighbor in Sterrett quilted up until she passed and the last quilt I saw her making was a red and white one with a big A in the middle for her Alabama fan son. I remember sleeping under three in the Kentucky Mountains when visiting a boyfriend's Grandmother for Christmas weekend. Lots of good quilt memories in my life.

Very interesting book. This will be good.

That shade of red looks pretty on you Tipper. This book is right up my alley. Thank you for reading. 2024 here we come! Hope it is a good one. 🎉 🎊 🎆 🍹 🪩 💃🏼 🕺🏻

My paternal grandmother quilted all the time. She had 8 children and never got her drivers license. Therefore, she never worked out of her home. I, too, remember that she went a quilting B(as they called them over here in central Illinois) which was formed by the women within her church. She had 12 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, and she made sure each one had their own hand-made quilt, by her, before her passing. I still have mine, cautiously stored preserved for many more years to come. My husband's grandmother lost her left leg due to health reasons later in her life and made quilts for each of her grandchildren and even for their new wives!❤ She was given old clothing from members of her church in which she would pain stakingly cut each little 4x4 inch piece and stitch it up by hand, creating many of the different patterns!! We still have those also, yet they were used more than mine and are pretty tattered these days.I recall many of them though, and they were amazing works of art, as the author described in your book.

I thought quilting bees were common across the south. You learn something new every day.

My mommy used to make quilts out of old blue jeans a blanket for the middle and a sheet for the backing. These quilts were always tacked with heavy twine. This was usually the quilt put on the bed for the most warmth so it was put on the bed right before you got in it. These usually werent the pretty top quilts so people usually foldd them up and put it away duting the day. My mother made several memory quilts with a block for each members old clothes.

I love quilts. They're so beautiful. And useful. I'm really looking forward to this book. Thank you. And Happy New year to your entire family, and prayers for Granny.