During the Great Depression, many homemakers needed to use their ingenuity to provide even the most basic things for their families. There may be no art form quite as homey, beautiful, and, above all, economical as a handmade quilt, and the quilts of the 1930s encompassed all of these qualities. Quilting became an avidly pursued hobby among Depression era women, not only for the warm and sturdy bedding it provided, but also as a practical way to pursue their creative needs while providing for their families.

Fabrics during the Depression Era were made with the new, modern chemical dyes, which made it possible for manufacturers to achieve new, lovely colors in their printing process. New brights that did not fade and smooth pastel colors were some of the new colors which could be attained with the chemical dyes. The prints often featured small flowers, cute characters, and whimsical designs. These were in stark contrast to the often bleak circumstances in which many people were living. The quilts made with these cheerful fabrics were innovative, often with a focus on applique designs. Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Sam became very popular appliqué designs during this time period, and we see many other appliqué quilts with butterflies, flowers, or animals on them. Women sometimes incorporated embroidery into their quilts; one style of appliqué during the 30s was done using a black thread buttonhole stitch to outline the appliqué pieces on the quilt blocks. There was great interest in hexagon designs like Grandmother’s Flower Garden and all its variations. This was also the period when Wedding Ring, Double Wedding Ring, and Pickle Dish types of curved piecing were popular. These patterns made use of very small scraps of fabric, so scrapbags and old clothing were sources for quilt fabrics when there was no money for new. Applique was often on white blocks, and bleached flour and sugar sacks could be used for this purpose as another way to save money.

While women of the Depression Era did not hesitate to include their own innovations in their quilts, many of the designs came from newspaper articles and women’s magazines. These publishing sources fed and capitalized upon the quilting craze by distributing patterns and selling pre-cut cloth and supplies. The new designs, combined with the ingenuity and creativity displayed by women in the Depression era, created a very unique and cheerful style still easily recognizable today.