Appliqué quilts first rose in popularity between 1840 and 1900. The most popular color scheme was red and green on a white background. Many of the designs for the cut-out motifs could also be found in embroidery samplers, lace, other needlework, and in theorem paintings. 

Appliqué quilts again became popular from 1925 to 1950. This time the popular color scheme was pastel colors, either in plain cloth or in small-scale prints. Commercial patterns offered realistic flower designs. A quilter could buy a kit that contained pre-cut fabric motifs and a pre-stamped background fabric. The backgrounds were stamped with placement lines for the motifs and quilting lines. 

Central medallions were popular again; they had gone out of fashion after 1865. Although not made from a kit, Bertha's appliqué quilt Quilting Party has a central medallion. In fact, some of Bertha's original designs were published as patterns in magazines. 

View diagrams and descriptions on how Appliqué techniques are done.

You can also design your own patriotic quilt top.  This activity requires a flash plugin on your computer, which may be downloaded for free on the Macromedia site.