Quiltmaking is a traditional American art form which continues to be a vital part of contemporary life. Quilts are to be found in every state of the union. Even Hawaiians have been making them since the 1820s. Whether for decoration or warmth, quilts have provided a vehicle for creative expression for centuries.

Quilting consists of joining two or more layers of fabric together by sewing through them. The first quilts, brought to this country by settlers from Western Europe, quickly wore out from constant use. Without imported goods or a native cloth industry, quilts were continually being repaired in a random fashion with scraps of old clothing. These were the first "crazy quilts." Though the early settlers must have had little time to be concerned with adornment, their early patchworks undoubtedly showed much aesthetic forethought.

By 1770, clipper ships were supplying the Eastern seaboard with bolts of imported cloth, and native-made fabric was readily available. As a result, those who could afford this fabric were able to make quilts out of "whole cloth."