The Quilting Bee
The quilting bee was an imporant means of socializing for colonial and pioneer
women (and man). Through the winter months, the women would piece their quilt
tops. Since there was no central heating in these homes, there was usually only
one main heated room that was too crowded during the winter months for a quilt
frame to be assembled. When the weather became warmer, an invitation was sent to
the surrounding neighbors for the quilting bee.
On the day of the
quilting bee, the quilters would arrive early and begin marking the quilt top
which had been put into the quilt frame by the hostess. Very often, plates,
thimbles and tea cups were used to mark the quilting patterns. The quilters
would then being to quilt the top while exchanging conversation. The quilt had
to finished before the husbands and beaus showed up in the late afternoon when
dinner was served to all, the hostess being given a chance to show off her
cooking skills. After dinner, there was very often a square dance or country
dance with fiddles accompanying the dancers. The quilting bee was an important
part of the social life of these people surpassed only by religious
gatherings.