Quilting For The First Time

from the introduction:
Quilting is an American art form that began in Colonial times. Every fabric scrap was precious to people, far from their former homes, who had to rely on supply ships for the most basic items. Keeping warm was a high priority, and luxuries were few and far between. But one thing our resourceful ancestors brought with them was a love of beauty. The American quilt combines frugality, utility, and beauty. Before the advent of the home sewing machine, quilts were made entirely by hand, and some people still enjoy doing all parts by hand. However, the majority of quilters today use sewing machines for the basic assembly sewing and save the handwork for the embellishment that will add the final touches. The projects in this book have been created to help you sample a wide variety of quilting techniques and designs in common use. Use it to discover some traditional favorites and as a starting point to develop your own creative expression. This book assumes you have a basic knowledge of sewing and a sewing machine. Complete instructions and template patterns are included for making each of the quilts and other projects shown.