For those of us who still sew, quilting can be a wonderful way to unwind and to preserve family traditions. But, quilting is becoming a rare thing these days. There was a time when women would gather together to complete a quilt, all done by hand. I can remember walking into my grandmother’s house and seeing the frame all set up, while her neighbors came in and out to help complete the project. There are so many aspects about a quilting bee that now seem from another world.

Here are 18 photos from the past that show another world where ladies rich and poor, young and old, gathered together to create the quilts that surely became heirlooms in years later.

Not only do we now do nearly everything on sewing machines, but the very idea that your friends and neighbors would gather to help you is a long gone idea for most of us. But, going to the store and buying a new comforter simply wasn’t an option for our ancestors, so they had to make what would adorn their beds.

While people don’t get together to quilt like the Old Days, we’re glad the art of quilting hasn’t been lost. But, these photos show another time when community meant you would roll up your sleeves and get to work to help your neighbors!