By the 1840s, thanks to the expansion of the textile industry, quilting in the USA had become something more than just a functional task. Quilting bees were a socially acceptable way for women to gather together without the men in attendance; it was a space where they could talk about anything and everything as needles flew through fabric. To many women living on farms or homesteads far from town, the quilting bee was the one socially acceptable opportunity to gather with other women outside of church. Quilting has evolved into an art form, albeit one that is not as celebrated…
