March 18th is National Quilting Day, a celebration of quiltmakers and the textile craft of quilting.
It’s a sewing technique in which two layers of fabric, usually with an insulating interior layer, are sewn together with multiple rows of stitching. It has been used historically to make warmer clothing, but many people associate quilting with bed coverings and wall hangings.
Quilting can be traced back to medieval times around the world, with quilts being found in Sicily, India and China. In fact, the word “quilt” is linked to the Latin word “culcita”, which was used in England in the 13th century.
There is a rich history of quilting in America. Early Dutch and English settlers often made practical objects like blankets out of fabric scraps. During colonial times, dynamic and geometric patterns became popular. Missionaries also introduced quilting to indigenous communities who developed unique patterns of their own. The Industrial Revolution and the invention of the sewing machine helped make quilting more accessible and made complex designs easier to create. Quilting continued to play a role throughout American history, especially during wartime.
If you’re interested in learning more about quiltmaking or its history, check out some of these books from the Yonkers Public Library! If you’re not very interested in sewing, you can also check out some books on knitting and crochet. Be sure to ask your librarian for some recommendations.
Textile arts and fiber crafts have a long history of being both practical crafts and a form of art in their own right. If you’re looking for a community of crafters, YPL is the place for you!
Every Tuesday from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM the Riverfront Library hosts Knitting and Coloring for Adults. All levels of knitting skill are welcome, and patterns will be provided. Relax, socialize and connect with your neighbors at YPL.
On the first Wednesday of every month from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, you can join the Crestwood Library for their Precubs of Love: Preemie Blanket Crocheting program. Learn to crochet granny squares that can be assembled into blankets to be donated to local hospitals for premature infants. All levels of crochet skill are welcome.
We hope to see you soon!
Alison Robles is a part-time page at the Crestwood Library. She is an avid reader with a passion for YA lit, history and science fiction. A Yonkers native, she graduated from Iona University in 2020 with a dual-degree in Marketing and Public Relations.