Spools Quilt

The Spools quilt in the Quilts4U Traditional Quilt Collection is one pattern name which aptly describes the dominant motif for the quilt. Traditionally, the entire quilt top was formed by multiple squares of spools. Our quilt also began in this format but it quickly became evident that the look was plainly quite boring. So the hunt was on to find a more restful design layout. Our quilt maker designed a unique and beautiful template for the hand quilting, that of finely quilted tulips resting against a trellis formed with parallel lines of quilting. The cross hatch quilting motif is a great tradition and there is at least one very interesting reason for that popularity. Quilting on the diagonal line of the fabric weave is easier and faster, and it produces a pleasing pillow effect due to the gentle diagonal tension of the the quilting thread on the fabric's warp and weft, (the actual weaving terms for the lengthwise and cross wise grain lines.) Hand quilted by Cynthia Bennett of Dallas Texas.

Quilts4U's version of the Spools pattern was created with new white cotton broadcloth which is traditional for wedding quilts. Very often a wedding quilt was tucked away in a trunk after the wedding to be preserved as a treasured keepsake of one of life's transitions. Typically, wedding quilts were a showcase for the quilt maker's talents for design, construction and especially outstanding hand quilting. Such a quilt might be started very many months even years before the actual wedding date. The quilt makers often knew in advance that their wedding quilt offering might rarely be used except "for show" on special occasions when guests and family members would gather, such as Thanksgiving, a wedding or funeral. The backing of our Spools quilt is 100% cotton and the batting filler is cotton as well. The cotton fabrics making up the spools came from a very traditional source, the bag of scraps every quilt maker collects. Some were purchased from quilting products supplier Geoffrey Gutcheon.