Quilting stitches may be decorative, but they also serve a very utilitarian function of holding the three layers of a quilt together. In the case of this quilt, the stitches followed no preset design.

Pattern: 
Britchy Quilt, detail
Maker: 
Maggie Smith
Circa
1980
Made in
Greene County
Alabama
United States
78
67.5
IQM, Robert and Helen Cargo Collection
2000.004.0022