The Quiltin’ Times are a-Changing

by Cindy Thury Smith 1999

For our Great-Great Grandmothers, in quilting times past—
A frugal quilter had to scrimp, make every scrap last—
Today wasting fabric is not such a crime—
Today what’s scarce is a quilter’s TIME.

Patterns used to travel with pioneers going west—
Now we swap and share instantly on the Internet—
Once templates were traced, fabric carefully scissored—
Now we slice multiple layers, we’re all Olfa wizards.

At one time a two fabric quilt was a sign of status—
Now Watercolor quilts have hundreds of prints comin’ at us—
Quilters used to gather at small local quilting bees—
Now we congregate at conferences, national teachers to see.

Like our Great-Great Grandmothers our lives are busy, we’re stressed—
But with the beauty of our quilts, we feel we are blessed—
As with Great-Great Grandmother, our quilting serves many goals—
To give us warmth, grace our homes, and feed our souls.