Quilting is a practice that goes back thousands of years and at one point in history, was a necessary skill for people to have in order to produce the blankets that they needed. Now, quilting is mainly a hobby for most people, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t deserve some recognition. That’s probably why National Quilting Day was invented in the first place. This holiday, a holiday that falls on the third Saturday in March, is a day in which everyone can try out quilting for the first time or hone their quilting skills to a fine point. 

The History Of National Quilting Day

National Quilting Day is a holiday that was first established back in 1991 at the 22nd annual show of the National Quilting Association. This was held in Lincoln, Nebraska and it was proposed that a national day dedicated to quilting be established. It’s been celebrated ever since. 

Facts About Quilting

We have to admit that when we first started researching this holiday, we didn’t know a whole lot about quilting. Fortunately, we learned quite a bit during the course of our research—information and bits of trivia we would like to now share with everyone. 

• Quilting goes back to Ancient Egypt—approximately 5,400+ years ago.
• The word quilt comes from the Latin world “Culcita”, which means stuffed sack or bag.
• Medieval knights used quilted pads under their armor to protect against chaffing and to prevent the armor from rusting from sweat. 
• The earliest American quilt made is from 1704.
• During the 19th century, it was customary for girls to make quilts to show off her quilting skills to her new husband.
• Quilting was popular 100-years after the sewing machine was invented at the end of the 18th century.
• There are three basic quilt types. These include Plain Quilts, Applique Quilts, and Patchwork Quilts. 
• The most expensive historic quilt ever sold was a Civil War-era quilt that was sold in 1991 for $254,000.
• The average quilter is 63-years old.
• In 2017, the quilting industry was worth over $3.5 billion dollars. 
• During the 1960s, quilting became popular again after interest had waned in it during the early part of the 20th century. 
• Patchwork quilts became extremely popular in areas that only had leftover fabrics for people to quilt.

Celebrating National Quilting Day

Anyone looking to learn quilting or perhaps sharpen their skills a little bit can do so by celebrating this holiday. All they need is a few basic pieces of equipment, the right fabrics, and the time to get to work. People wishing to celebrate this holiday should also take the time to snap a picture of their work and post it on social media using the hashtag #NationalQuiltingDay so we can all marvel at their skills.