Welcome to Part Three of the seven part series brought to us by Molly Williams. Over the next seven weeks Molly will explore the people, politics, patterns and processes that informed the development of the American quilt. She will take us from early African-American quilts to the 21st Century Art quilts that we see today. I find the history of textiles inspiring and fascinating and I hope you enjoy this series.

19th century quilts

Four distinct types of quilts developed during 19th century America: the American Pieced Quilt, 9 patch quilt, Album Quilt and the Victorian Crazy Quilt. The American Pieced Quilt, which was designed to accentuate the contrast between colors and patterns, began with a central medallion that spread out evenly over the quilt.

* images via: Postage Stamp Center Medallion Quilt Dated 1888, Silk Stars by Mary Mern. 1845. Hand pieced and quilted

The 9 patch quilt
It was the change in construction, from pieced medallions to nine-patch blocks that revolutionised American quilting. While bed-size quilts required a lot of room to piece, pieced patterns could be assembled in a relatively small space and easily carried until stitched together.

The Oregon Trail opened up the American West, where settlers carved out a life for themselves in the harsh wilderness. Quilts were made on the wagon and in the dugout and things of beauty were created from scraps of old clothing and feed sacks. Patterns, such as windmill blades, barn raising, straight furrow and court house steps, developed from the landscape.

* images via: www.oldquiltcompany.com, Windmill Quilt from Ben Mildwoff Collection, Straight Furrow Log Cabin Quilt
c. 1870, Barn Raising Log Cabin quilt

Album quilts
For more formal occasions, such as weddings and christenings, elaborately appliquéd Album Quilts were made to commemorate the special day. The detailed appliquéd tops were further embellished with intricate stitching as seen in the close-up image of this patriotic eagle and floral quilt.

*images via: Eagles with Floral Wreath Applique Quilt 
c.1875, Album quilt. Made by a member of the Hargest Family, Baltimore, Maryland Dated 1845

The Victorian Crazy Quilt

The Victorian Crazy Quilt was very different with its flamboyant pattern of rich silks and velvets embroidered together to make a contemporary display. It was a passion that began towards the end of the 19th century in response to the influence of Arts and Crafts movement and American Aesthetic Movement… change was in the air. – Molly

* image via: Victorian Crazy Quilt c 1890

Hello there! I am thrilled to announce Part Two of the seven part series on the history of the American quilt brought to us by Molly Williams. Over the next seven weeks Molly will explore the people, politics, patterns and processes that informed the development of the American quilt. She will take us from early African-American quilts to the 21st Century Art quilts that we see today. I find the history of textiles inspiring and fascinating and I hope you enjoy this series.

17th and 18th Century Whole Cloth Quilts

It is widely thought that the American tradition of patchwork began with the early settlers utilising every scrap of imported fabric to make warm quilts for the homestead. However research suggests that expensive, imported English whole cloth quilts were found in early colonial homes. The making of American whole-cloth quilts did not become established until the 1750’s and it was not until after the The Revolutionary War, when America was freed from trade restrictions imposed by the English, that quilting evolved with a unique American style – bolder colors and innovative designs.

*images (clockwise): “Copper plated printed whole-cloth quilt 1785,” “Cornish trapunto quilt early 17th Century,” “Whole Cloth Quilt,” “Trapunto Close up,” “Whole Cloth Quilt,”

A whole cloth quilt is not made from a single piece of fabric, as the name suggests; it simply means that the quilt is made from fabric of a single color or intricately embroidered to produce a highly textured, tactile design. In addition to embroidery, Trapunto or ‘stuffed technique,’ was used to add extra texture and dimension to whole cloth quilts.

17th and 18th Century Indian Chintz

* images (clockwise): “Broderie Perse Closeup,” “Winthur Collection,” “Chintz,” “17th and 18th C Indian Chintz, ” “Broderie Perse”

By the beginning of the 18th century, Broderie Perse, French for “Persian Embroidery”, was a popular method of applique created from patterned chintz imported from India. The clearly defined floral motifs were cut out and appliqued onto plain cloth backgrounds, resulting in stunningly beautiful pieces. These quilts were luxurious, expensive and used for display on special occasions.

*images (Clockwise): “Broderie Perse Quilt,” “Broderie Perse Fragments”

In the 19th century, The Industrial Revolution brought about two key innovations which helped to popularize American quilting. Firstly, mechanised looms emerged, resulting in cheaper American fabrics and yarns. Secondly, the invention of the sewing machine accelerated the process of stitching small pieces of fabric together, making it quicker and easier to piece and produce quilts.

See you next week for Part 3 – 19th Century Quilts! – Molly

Hello there! I am thrilled to announce a seven part series on the history of the American quilt brought to us by Molly Williams. Over the next seven weeks Molly will explore the people, politics, patterns and processes that informed the development of the American quilt. She will take us from early African-American quilts to the 21st Century Art quilts that we see today. I find the history of textiles inspiring and fascinating and I hope you enjoy this series. Take it away Molly!

Early African American quilts

* images (clockwise): Starch-resist dyed Adire cloth, Kente cloth Ghana, Mali mud cloth, Fante Asafo flag Ghana (These war flags record historical events), Kuba cloth made from raffia – Zaire,

A key component of the history of the American quilt was the arrival of enslaved Africans to America. They brought the customs, signs and symbols of their culture, which included textiles and fabrics. African textiles have large asymmetric designs that ensure the pattern can be recognized from a distance and in the glare of sunlight; as well as sharply contrasting colors which enhance the visibility of both the cloth and the symbolic patterns. Asymmetrical deviations in the patterns are designed to confuse the path of evil spirits. In West Africa, strip weaving is the fabric construction process most used, where thin lines of fabric, which consist of symbols and patterns, are stitched together to make a wider cloth. Abstract, figurative and geometric designs portraying secret tribal symbols are incorporated into textiles, which can be seen in the Starch-resist dyed Adire cloth from Yorubaland, Nigeria.

In America, the traditional woven strips were substituted by fabric pieces and the subversive nature of African coded language continued. This enabled Africans to remember their roots and combined tribal histories, as seen in this piece by Harriet Powers. Although very few slave quilts have survived, two bible quilts made by Harriet Powers hang in the Smithsonian Institute. Powers was born into slavery in 1837, her appliqué quilts depict Christian biblical stories and may have been used as teaching tools; on the other hand, the crosses, stars and moons may represent the symbols of secret West African societies.

* image via: ‘Quilt’ by Harriet Powers 1886

The Underground Railroad Quilt

African American folklore records a system of quilts used to direct escaping slaves to freedom in Canada. Ozella McDaniel of Charleston, South Carolina, was taught the story of a system of quilts used to direct escaping slaves to freedom by her grandmother, a former slave. According to McDaniel, ten quilts where used to signal the journey plan. Different quilt patterns conveyed specific instructions for each stage of the journey.

#1) Monkey Wrench, Gather your belongings together #2) Log Cabin, A “safe” person to speak to #3) Bear’s Paw, Follow the bear tracks over the Appalachian Mountains #4) Shoofly, A friendly guide #5) Flying Geese, Points to the direction to follow #6) Drunkard’s Path, Travel in a zigzag path to avoid pursuers #7) Bow Ties, Dress in disguise #8) Star, Follow the North Star #9) Crossroads, Routes to Cleavland, Ohio (freedom)

*images via: The Quilts of Gees Bend

Despite their importance, there are very few early utility quilts left. Slaves, treated as possessions and commodities, were often sold on to other plantations; families were separated and belongings were shared or lost. Quilts, once irreparable, were recycled as the batting for new ones.

One small Alabama community, isolated since the civil war by the geography of the area, has retained a link with their African roots. The Gees Bend plantation was founded in 1814 by Joseph Gee. Although typical of many southern plantations, Gees Bend is remarkable in that after the Civil War of 1861 – 1865 it became an isolated backwater where generations of former Pettway slaves were left to develop their own style of quilts uninformed by the changes in the traditional American quilt.

Jessie Pettway’s ‘Bars and string-pieced columns’ 1929, illustrates the classic African aesthetics preserved within the Gees Bend quilt:

• Asymmetric patterns and lines
• Large bright blocks of color
• A marked resemblance to the tradition of strip weaving

Seventy Gees Bend quilts were exhibited at The Whitney Museum, New York in 2002 and their popularity continues today. Check back next week for Part Two: 17th & 18th Century Traditional American Whole Cloth Quilts! – Molly