The art of quilting has been around for a long time. While first used for functionality only, it quickly became a form of art. For this purpose, and to get quilt patterns finished quickly, the quilters guild was formed so that large groups of people could work on a quilt together. These guilds were often called quilting bees. This made it possible to finish many quilts in a timely manner, while having fun at the same time.



The Crusaders were the first people to use quilted fabrics on a regular basis. They used the quilt fabric under the armor of knights, so that they were protected from the metal. Its fabrics were tougher and stronger than other fabrics, which made them idea for this task. There is some evidence to suggest that the Egyptians also used quilts.

The quilters guild was probably formed at the time of the Crusaders as well, to produce large quantities of armor padding. The original ones were probably men, but when the ladies took over they turned it into something much more beautiful than mere under padding.

By the 1700 and 1800s, such skills were used as kind of a summery of how proficient a girl was at sewing. Early quilts were made from one piece of cloth but the patchwork quilt was invented due to the frugality of some ladies of the day, as they discovered a clever use for scraps of fabric.

The quilters guild of today is a fun way to get together with other like-minded people, and the older, more experienced members coach the newer members on things such as quilt patterns, quilt sets, how to machine quilt, handmade quilts, patchwork quilts, and different techniques to make quilting easier. Many quilting guilds will also have fundraising shows, where the quilters sell their quilts and raise money for activities that the guild members might want to do. Some guilds are so large that they are a national or even international organization.

Some quilting guilds offer books in which they publish the quilting tips that their members have found to be the most helpful. Some quilting guilds charge membership fees, while others allow people to join for free.

If you are not lucky enough to be in an area that has a quilting guild, then you might want to look into purchasing some books on quilting that would be able to further you in your quilting journey. Of course, many quilting shops also give lessons on a periodic basis, so taking a few of those would probably help as well.

Quilting professionals have unique and wonderful skills. They create the beautiful quilts that everyone loves to see and feel. If you are a new quilter, and wish to learn more about it, then joining a quilters guild might be the right thing to do. If there is no guild around, then maybe you could just take some classes on quilting. This can help your skills increase rapidly and easily.