As we are approaching the holidays and with great interest in our quilted products, we wanted to dig a little deeper on the history of these quilts and where they came from. Understanding where our quilts came from and why they were made not only informs us, but bonds us and gives us a better sense of community. It motivates us to take action to support and appreciate carefully-crafted, hand-made products.

We have found that these stories from the women who created these quilts also echo the stories of the women that work here at Free 2 Fly. We found that we are connected by billions of invisible strings sewn together throughout time. That we are in a sense, carrying their legacies on our shoulders. 

Even though these women come from different backgrounds and time periods, the main thing they all have in common is the skill of sewing. 

Let’s look at how other women have overcome hardships and used sewing or quilting towards a future of hope and resilience.



Martha Washington

Quilting is a form of reusing and recycling and early Americans used old fabric scraps in their quilts, especially from their own clothing. Fabric was scarce back then and they needed to keep their families warm during harsh winter months. It was traditionally a shared activity amongst women in the late 1700’s.

Martha Washington (also the first lady) not only encouraged George Washington during his presidency, she also pursued quilting as one of her hobbies. She would choose different fabrics, colors, and pattern combinations and planned how they would all come together. Once the top pieces were chosen and cut and sewn together, the quilting process would begin by creating a kind of 3-layer sandwich of the top, filling, and backing. 

A popular quilt made by our first lady is known as the Penn’s Treaty quilt because the center is based on the famous painting of a scene from the founding of Pennsylvania in the early 1600’s by Benjamin West. This quilt even contains pieces of a robe that George Washington himself wore.

As time went on, fabric was starting to increase and became more affordable in the first half of the 19th century. Printed cloths were everywhere, and that’s when women started to experiment with more colors and patterns as they also had access to more tools. Quilts went from being rare to an absolute craze and an essential creative outlet for women of every class. It was a way to find community in a very male-dominated culture. Quilt making even played a very important role in supporting the Abolitionist, Temperance, and Suffrage movements. Making quilts was a way for women to have their voices heard.

This is an example of how Nancy Cabot repurposed some of Martha Washington’s work in the 1930’s. She was deeply inspired by Martha and made this to commemorate and honor her. Nancy Cabot wrote a newspaper column for the Chicago Tribune at the time and shared different quilting patterns with women all over the country. These patterns were sold for each block for 5 cents in stamps or coin. You can check out more about her column here.

Other quilters also made different patterns to commemorate women that inspired them. We used the Martha Washington Flower Garden quilt pattern in some of our products here.

1934 Grandmother’s Garden

The Grandmother’s Garden (a version of the Martha Washington Flower Garden) is one of the most beloved patterns, especially during this time. It became popular in the 1920’s and was a staple during the Great Depression. People needed some cheer during these hard times which is where these colorful flowers came into place. It’s usually made with hexagons with a yellow center and surrounded by a row of six other colorful hexagons. 

You can learn more about quilt making during the Great Depression here.

Dresden Plate Pattern

The Dresden pattern also became popular in the 20’s/30’s and gets its name from the Dresden plate from Dresden, Germany:

It was also used during the Great Depression to brighten up a room. Sometimes they can even look like little sunflowers.

Making Something New With the Old

This art continues on as today’s quilter has more selections of fabric to use as well as the tools and precise patterns that weren’t available a century or two ago. 

These quilts are more than just quilts and fabric. Just like our products are more than just purses and leather. They are more than a creative outlet. They come with stories. They weave family history and colors and inside jokes. They carefully choose the patterns and combinations. They show love and consideration and creativity that cannot be found in a store-bought version.

All of these women that all live vastly different lives, come together to tell their stories in fabric. In sewing. In the moments they share through the things they make with their own two hands.

Like these women who bring new life to the types of quilts they make, so do the women here at Project Free2Fly. We recognize the roots and branches of quilting, and through their and our own creative expression have made something new with the old.

Refashion, Reuse, Recycle

We are currently taking donations for quilts to repurpose and refashion into our products. If you would like to donate some of your old quilts, check out the link here. 

Not only do we take donations, we can also make custom orders! Check out this link to find out more info.