Monday, September 5, 2011

Giveaway...5 FAT quarters! Mystery Monday...

Is it a MYSTERY to you?...

How far back in history could we find the art of
QUILTING?


Now, when someone says the word
 "quilting" in history...
what do YOU see? 

Would it be American Pioneers?


Or..maybe a little bit before that...in Europe?
Indo-Portuguese silk quilt, early 17th century


But...maybe you didn't picture this....
as part of the history of quilting?
A superb quilted travelling costume.
1745-1760. 
more info click HERE

Quilting actually goes WAY back!
But, maybe just not as you might have pictured it.

What do you think...does it go as far back...
 as...maybe... the
DARK (or middle) AGES...
approximately 500 - 1500 A.D./C.E.?

If you said
YES,
YOU are....COE-rect-a MUNDO!


Most of what we know is things seen in paintings,
artwork/drawings/sculptures, because most of the
garments didn't last thru time...
Please click HERE
to view a painting depicting quilted garments.

Quilting was introduced to Europe in the
 11th century when English and French Crusaders,
venturing into the Holy Land,
encountered Saracen foot soldiers who wore
 straw-filled, quilted canvas shirts
 in lieu of armor. Saracen horsemen used
quilted silk undershirts to keep their armor from chafing.
---
In ancient Chinese, Russian, and Mesoamerican Indian cultures,
quilted attire was worn for warmth as well as protection.
 Whether these cultures learned of quilting through
 friendly trade, unfriendly invasion, or whether each
developed its own form independently, is not clear.
---
But...that's not as far back it goes...NOPE!
Can YOU guess the time period when the first
known quilted garment was found?
Well....

 The earliest known quilted garment
 is on the carved ivory figure of a Pharaoh
 of the Egyptian First Dynasty about
 3400 B.C. 
(Yep...just click HERE if you don't believe me)


WOW! gosh-almighty!  that's a loooong time ago!

So...now, when you think of
Quilting in History...
will you see the same pictures in your mind as
you did at the beginning of this post?
Were you surprised at how
long ago quilting was part of life?

You are probably wondering...
when are we gonna get on with the
Mystery Monday "games"?

Well, mee bloggy friends...it's like this! 

(1) Just leave one comment about today's post
...and, be a follower (yep, it's fun to be!)

Mystery Monday for this week ENDs... Saturday
 Sept 10th midnight (MT time)


********~~~~~~~~*******

Last week's MYSTERY MONDAY....


Michelle
from
Corona, California


54 comments:

Vickie said...

This was a very interesting post! I never really thought about quilting going so far back. WoW! Thanks for such enlightening post! I love to learn the history of just about everything!

Vickie said...

I am a follower!

Gill said...

I would never have guessed quilting has been around so long!!
I'm a follower!

Sallie said...

Congratulations, Michelle! I'm a follower. I was thinking it would be B.C., but not that far back. Thanks for the history lesson.

Mosaic Magpie said...

It is amazing the detailed stitching they did before there were all the fancy machines around. Beautiful work and when a woman was known for her needlework skills. I am a follower and would love to win!
Deb

MB in MI said...

The book 'Pillars of the Earth' came to mind reading about quilted shirts underneath armor suits! Thanks for the great post!!

Crafty Newbie said...

I'm a huge fan of Victorian fiction. As I am reading and come across a passage regarding their sewing, I often have an image in my mind what it must have been like. Those were the days of more communative workings. These days rarely is there work done with more than a few people. It took them months and even years to complete a project, which was all done by hand.

Thank you for the lovely giveaway. I can't wait to see who the winner is :)

Barbara said...

I am a follower.

Barbara said...

I love learning about the history of quilting. Very interesting post.

Sharon said...

I really enjoyed reading this post about the history of quilting. My brain only went as far back as the pioneer women making quilts to keep their families warm. Now I'll have to think about it even farther back! LOL! You bet I'm a follower!

Sharon said...

I really enjoyed reading this post about the history of quilting. My brain only went as far back as the pioneer women making quilts to keep their families warm. Now I'll have to think about it even farther back! LOL! You bet I'm a follower!

Anonymous said...

I am a follower!

When I look at a quilted garment, I am simply stunned at the amount of workmanship that has gone into it. Recently, I saw a documentary online about the recreation of one of these hand quilted/hand embroidered coats. It took thousands of hours of work! Wow...just so someone could wear the thing!

Cynthia said...

Thanks for the quilty history! I'm a (hopeful) follower!

Vroomans' Quilts said...

A lot of people don't think of textile stitching as quilting - thank you for sharing today. Yes, a follower who loves your Monday Mysteries.

Sarah Craig said...

Thanks for all the great quilty trivia! Quilting as opposed to piecing has been around a very long time - so I guess we've liked texture in our clothing that long too! I'm definitely a follower!!

Robin (RsIslandCrafts) said...

Wonderful post! I'm not really surprised to hear that quilting goes back so far. It makes sense if you think about it. I'm a follower.

Jocelyn said...

I had ready years ago about soldiers wearing quilted garments for protection. It is so interesting to see the evolution of quilts and quiltmaking. Thanks for the great info. I follow :-)

Miss Hillbilly said...

It is amazing the work that was done way back then considering the limited amount of tools available. It would be something to watch, wouldn't it?

Linda said...

I just wonder who had the first brainstorm to quilt something? Was it a man or a woman? (I'm pulling for the woman! It sounds like the kind of creative thinking that we do. Her husband probably said, "What a crazy idea!" but later admitted that it worked!)

Marsha said...

I love the history behind quilting. Thank you for share that history.

ThreadCatcher said...

You expanded my thoughts on the history of quilting. Hubby will be entertained with what I learned on the drive home today! Thanks for sharing. I am a follower.

Jessica said...

I'm a history major, so anything that has to do with history fascinates me. Thanks for a wonderful post - you're right, I can't believe how far back it goes!

yorkie mom said...

I knew quilting was a cool thing! I'm a follower too!

robin said...

Very interesting! Thanks for the info!

JustPam said...

Interesting. I knew quilting was old but had no idea how old. I am a follower.

suemac said...

I am impressed, as usual, with all of the research you put into your mystery Monday's. Thanks.

Emma said...

I can't believe quilting goes back that far! I knew it went back to the Dark Ages, but I never believed it went farther! Thanks for the information!

Apple Avenue Quilts said...

Very interesting post! I loved all the historical information.

Anonymous said...

SUCH A NEAT HISTORY ON QUILTS!
THANKS FOR SHARING!
HAPPY QUILTING!

jldouglas@wispwest.net

Anne said...

3400BC !!!?*. Wow, I wish I could see that carving on her skirt , and the Mongolian floor!! See, I am not wasting time on blogger, I am expanding my knowledge!

Sara Lyn said...

I knew quilting went quite a long way back, but WOW! Fascinating! (I'm a follower.)

Christine M said...

Thanks for the great history lesson Annie. I haven't ever given it a thought as to how far back quilting goes. I love that photo of the woman sitting around the quilting frame stitching away! I'm a follower.

quilary said...

It's nice to know I'm part of something that is almost 5 1/2 thousand years old! I've been a follower of your blog for some of that time!!!

Miri said...

Super interesting...I thought I knew a lot about quilt history or the history of quilting but a quilted Egyptian garment-you got me!

dluvscoke said...

Hey Annie- I left a little something for you on my post Watch Out for the Flames. You can thank me later. ;)

RobynLouise said...

I've learnt some quilting history from my adult children who read Matthew Reilly books set in Egypt and play "Assassins" games set back in medieval times! So glad that authors and game designers take the trouble to make their 'works' true to the origins :D. Who says children can't learn something from video games, at least the important stuff like quilting :).
Cheers,
Robyn

Michelle said...

Thank you so much Annie, Im so excited and surprised that I won!

Marcia W. said...

Thank you for the informative post. I can understand cotton / linen fabric and thread in ancient Egypt.... what did they use for a needle? Amazing.

Unknown said...

Awesome Post! I knew quilting went back before the 1700s but wasn't sure how far back. Thanks for this historical lesson. :) Very interesting.

God bless and keep you,
Sonia

Pat V. said...

I actually was aware that quilting went back centuries to the Egyptians, but didn't know about the quilted under garments for armor! thanks for a very interesting post.

Amy said...

3400 B.C.!

Wow........what an incredible legacy quilts have. That makes me feel even more honored to be apart of the quilting history.


I'm a follower. thanks for the giveaway :)

Mom C said...

I knew they had padded jerkins and weskits in Medieval times. Hadn't thought about it earlier. Thanks for an interesting article.

Deb said...

I am follower (and not a stalker).

I love quilting history and had not idea about the early, early, early history you wrote about. Thank-you!!
Deb

Annmarie said...

I'm a follower (who would want to miss Mystery MOnday!) but HOLY MOLY that's alot of history. Veeery interesting! Thanks.

Mama Spark said...

Wow! Who wouldathunk it? Fun facts to know and tell!!

Kira said...

I love this. There are many facets of tradition that transcends time and culture. There are common links throughout the world in many subjects we may consider our own. That is the amazing thing about the blogging world. We can see what people on the other side of the earth are doing. AND it is exactly what we are doing!! Time is no different. People were creating, feeding, caring, learning, dying, living, struggling; just as we are now. Isn't it marvelous to be part of the human family--connected to the past while living in the present and looking toward the future.

Carla G said...

Thanks for the history lesson... I didn't know any of that. I'm a follower! :)

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

I am a new follower, thanks for the great giveaway! Very interesting reading.

Quilting by the River

MulticoloredPieces said...

Thanks for reminding us of the history of quilting!
Great post!
best, nadia

hueisei said...

Thanks for sharing the quilting history.
I am a follower :)

Michele T said...

Wow! This was an enlightening post... thanks for sharing.

Janet said...

I love the photo of the quilting bee. I'm sure that must be a reproduction bee but it is great none-the-less. Thanks for a fun post and a chance to win your weekly prize. I am a follower.

LethargicLass said...

I wouldn't have said at the beginning of the post that it went back that far, but it does make sense when you think about it... quilted clothing would be warmer and last longer...

Peggy said...

Very interesting post about the art of quilting.
Thanks,
Peggy
http://keepmeinstitches-peggy.blogspot.com
peggy_verdongibbs@att.net