When you look closely, you will find that most of the hobbies of today have their roots in the necessity of ‘a long time ago’. The same holds true for the hobby of Quilting. You will find quilting to be a very big part of the ancient European world where it was very cold and staying warm was important. Making quilts was time-consuming and required a lot of patience – something the women who took care of their families and homes had a lot of.

Recycling and using scraps of old and worn-out clothes, they would create beautiful patterns and designs and make quilts and several other things of daily use. These women were skilled to make all sorts of garments for their families and themselves. At that time these activities were considered to be as essential as cooking for the family. As the Europeans started to move out of Europe and settle in different continents, their skill of sewing and quilting became extremely useful for their comfort and well-being. With the industrial revolution and the improvement in the quality of life, thanks to modernization, even when it was no longer a necessity, Quilting survived and prospered as a much-loved hobby in several countries. Anything that is made with fabrics, that is not clothing or furnishing comes under the Umbrella of ‘The World of Quilting’ – be it a small pin cushion, coasters, an apron, a pouch, a bag, a cushion/ pillow, table runners or a quilt of any size, or just about any other item made with fabrics.

When the three layers of a quilt are assembled and stitched together, this process too is known as the ‘quilting’ of a quilt. There are several levels in quilting, starting from the beginners to the very advanced, depending on the extent to which a quilter is experienced and comfortable working with it. A sewing machine is one of the most important equipments that a quilter needs to work with, besides a whole world of amazing tools and notions.
So often, a layperson, who has no clue of this wonderful world, will call every other fabric related project – sewing, and just the making of a quilt to be quilting. Yes, there is an overlap, between the quilting world and the garment-making world. As the foundation of both stems from the same fabrics, techniques, tools, and notions and so are the required skill sets. However, not every quilter can make garments and vice versa.

We at Simply Beautiful Always are doing our part in bringing and reviving the wonderful world of hobbies – Quilting is a big part of it and we are doing our best to suggest some easy projects and kits, to begin with. We hope that many discover the joys of creating beautiful and useful things with their own hands, giving them the satisfaction and the thrill to touch, feel, and enjoy their creations for many years to come.