Quilting Rules

Someone once wrote (please forgive me because I don't remember who wrote it) that every quilt has rules. I thought, yes, quarter inch seams, follow the pattern, tiny quilting stitches, etc. I continued reading and she explained her thought a little differently than I anticipated.

The creator of a quilt chooses her own rules for each quilt she makes.
She can decide

• the size of the blocks, if there are blocks.
• whether the quilt will have a pattern or not.
• to use few colors or many, and which.
• whether she will use the same fabrics throughout or a wide variety of fabrics.
  
• whether there will be consistency throughout the quilt or not.
• and any other other aspect of the quilt.
  

Sometimes I see quilt patterns that I love but don't necessarily like the colors, the block size, the overall size, or something else about the quilt. I either pass over the pattern and choose a different one or, if it's not too complicated, I alter it to fit my idea of what I'd rather see.

I admit that sometimes the aesthetic of a quilt may not be pleasing if the quilter isn't careful and attentive, but I agree that the quilter makes the rules for her own quilt. What do you think?

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The accompanying photos are of a wedding ring quilt my great-grandmother made. She passed away in 1936 at the age of 78 so I know it was made before that. I think it's possible that some of the fabrics are from feed sacks. (Click on the photos to enlarge them.)

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