Recent Quilt Acquisitions

PART 2: 1930 – Present
August 31, 2024 – March 23, 2025

Featured here are 23 full-size and three small quilts that have come to the Museum since 2014 and have not been included in earlier exhibits. Because so many wonderful examples have been added to the Museum’s collection, only those dating from 1930 to the present are included in this exhibition. The changes in quilting styles and color palette can be tracked in this exhibit which includes quilts made over an 87-year period. Although the Museum holds a machine appliquéd quilt documented from the 1860s, machine quilting was considered inferior to hand quilting even at the beginning of the quilt revival in the 1970s. As can be seen in the quilts from the 21st century, it has become popular, and the beautiful machine quilting that is now possible in many ways outshines the hand quilting of the 19th century. This is made possible because of new technology and improvements in the available machines. 21st-century quilters can create amazing designs with their machines.

PART 1: 1830 – 1930
February 20 – August 20, 2024

Quilt acquisitions from 2016 to the present have been curated into a two-part exhibition series, the first being “100 Years of Quilts.” The earliest collection piece is a whole cloth quilt circa 1830 whose decoration is achieved through the quilting pattern. Late 19th-century quilts feature bright and colorful pieces including a red and green pieced quilt likely made in anticipation of the maker’s wedding. Later quilts were made at the beginning of the Depression and likely survived due to their beauty and sentimental value.