19th Century Quilts

By the mid 19th century, quilt making had entered its heyday. Women had more leisure time to devote to needle work and quilt making and few other sanctioned avenues for creative expression. The role of fine artist was not considered ladylike because it distracted a woman from homemaking. This cult of domesticity prevailed through the 1860s. Thus, the needle arts and quilting, in particular, became the means by which women could express their creativity while at the same time maintaining the home.