Quilting did not originate within the United States and there is actually some argument over where quilting became popular within the States. The colonists who immigrated from Europe brought a heritage rich in needlework and quilting but they did not bring any quilts with them. Some believe that quilting began with these first settlers coming off of the Mayflower. However, opponents of that view believe that the Puritans would not have possessed quilts because during that time period quilts were a luxury item owned only by the rich and especially not the Puritans. Many believe that quilting began with the Virginia Settlers because they were more wealthy and conscientious of class. It is agreed though that immigrants to the New World brought along their strong sense of quilting and help quickly popularize various different patterns. Conditions in the States was conducive to the making and use of quilts, though it is assumed that the quilts that were made during the first years of settlement were considerably more utilitarian than decorative, as they are today.

The earliest types of applique and pieced quilts made in America developed out of necessity, probably as soon as the various bed coverings brought by the settlers were worn or no longer usable. The quilts were simple, constructed by patching or joining materials (often times from the scrap bag) together in squares and triangles in whatever miscellaneous sizes and shapes the maker happened to have. Thus, the quilt of the New England colonist was sturdy, homespun, warm, never gaudy, simple and rich in earth color, and plain rather than decorative. Early settlers in Virginia and the Carolinas were, in many cases, wealthy landed Englishmen who very quickly created large self-supporting estates and plantations. Even at this early period (1620-80), in the southern colonies quilts were very likely constructed with finer stitchery and more elegant fabrics than those of the settlers up North.

Later on, with a larger number of fabrics becoming cheaper and more available, women could now piece or applique the top of the quilt in predetermined patters or designs, and then the patterns could be varied and elaborated upon. Quilts no longer had to be only utilitarian in use. One of the methods for creating pieced quilts from this time period was to use leftover or old newspapers. The newspapers were cut into the pattern or design pieces and then the fabric was stitched or appliqued onto the newspaper. One of the oldest American quilts identified was identified by uncovering the newspaper below the fabric to reveal the date information.

The War of Independence gave an opportunity for settlers of different backgrounds to exchange cultural values and ideas. Patriotism was high and Americans were encouraged to produce their own goods and style. In time, there would be less dependency upon imitating European styles and a consequent rise of an indigenous American style and taste.

During the nineteenth century, quilt making flourished in America. Quilt makers everywhere seemed to compete with each other by creating geometric patterns, one more dazzling than another. Probably of equal importance in advancing the quilting tradition was the opportunity it afforded to socialize. Many times women would form a quilting bee, to both accomplish the making of a quilt but also to interact with other women. In many isolated areas, the quilting bee was the only source of social contact that many women had with each other.

Eventually while other homemade crafts (such as woodworking, tin-smithing, candle or soap making) were becoming obsolete by factory substitutes and industrialization, quilts continued to be made throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In fact, industrialization, particularly after the middle of the nineteenth century, provided the housewife with more time and a variety of new devices to use on quilting.

Materials were now bought specifically for the purpose of making a quilt. The housewife was no longer dependent solely upon the accumulation of scraps of different colors and sizes in her scrap bag to create a specific pattern or design. The sewing machine, was a new tool that influenced the habits and techniques of the quilt maker during the nineteenth century. There was a sharp decline in the making of quilts by the end of the nineteenth century, probably due to the development of retail stores such as Sears, Roebuck. But the decline in quilt making was only temporary and during the twentieth century there have been periodic revivals of interest in the art.

The 1970s brought a great renewal of interest in quilts. They have been recently appreciated as an important American antique craft, as well as for their strong contemporary visual qualities. In the United States, quilts are now purchased to hang on walls in the same fashion as tapestries and paintings, instead of just for everyday use such as a bed covering.