Quilts From Around The World

Cassandra Ellis said that quilts were—and still could be—the absolute summation of homes, families, communities, and individuals. She went on to study quilting methods and designs from different cultures all over the world; from Amish to Korean quilt styles. Inspired by the diversity in the art of creating quilts from different areas of the world, Cassandra put her own spin on 25 different styles from around the world in her new book, World Of Quilts. 

Did you know that Strippy quilts were popular between 1860 and 1930 in Wales and the north of England? As they were easy to make, they were often used as utilitarian quilts, rather than being saved for “best.” A little history for you: the busy textile industry in England at this time meant that cotton fabric was available and not too expensive for the average maker to use in such large pieces. The strips of plain cloth provided an opportunity for the maker to really show their stitching ability. The Strippy quilt design traveled to America, where the Amish community embraced the simplicity of the design and adjusted its composition to suit their environment.

Cassandra's top tip for creating a Strippy quilt: "My palette and choice of fabrics are extremely uniform, as my plan was to see two vertical indigo blocks framed within ivory cotton. You could reverse the design and have the patterned blocks as plain and the plain as patterned; you could use 50 different fabrics or just two."

Check out World Of Quilts for much more eye candy, patterns, a peek inside Cassandra's toolkit where she lists her must-haves, and a wonderful guide to picking the best fabrics!