The first quilt designs were not very decorative as they were made to be practical - winters were cold; therefore, coverlets were made to produce warmth - little attention was paid to beauty! Because materials were scarce, quilts were made form odd-shaped scraps of fabric cut from worn-out clothing (making them very colorful), and when set together in a jig-saw-puzzle fashion, the result was called the CRAZY QUILT!

Later pieces were cut into a uniform size and shape, still in all colors, and stitched together to form the HIT and MISS quilts.  Still later the colors were sorted and arranged in alternating strips producing the ROMAN STRIPE.

 

These early quilts were made form one pattern piece.  Designing really began only when a rectangle was cut diagonally into two pieces thus offering the quilt maker a way to create a variety of designs by arranging light and dark colors in specific pieces when forming a block.  This gave birth the the diamond and star designs in pieced quilts.

 

The glory of the heavens led to a constellation of Star Quilts, and in this book you will find twelve of the prettiest designed by women who love quilt-making for it's beauty!