New exhibition of inscribed quilts tells stories at quilt museum

            The International Quilt Study Center and Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will present the exhibition "What's in a Name? Inscribed Quilts," opening Jan. 13 and running through Dec. 2.

            Quilts bearing multiple inscriptions were made for a variety of reasons, in a variety of patterns, over a span of more than 100 years. These quilts and the information garnered from careful investigation into the unique inscriptions shed light into the lives of individuals, families and communities.

            People often long to know the stories of quilts. They lament "If only this quilt could talk!" and wonder about the maker and why the quilt was made. With diligent research into census records, newspaper archives, and published genealogical histories, quilts with inscriptions can be coaxed to "speak," telling the stories of the people who made them and reflecting the cultural, social and historical contexts of their lives.

            Inscribed quilts emerged in the United States in the 1840s during a rapid and dramatic shift in quiltmaking traditions. They were often made as gifts for friends and neighbors, marking important life passages such as marriage or childbirth. Westward migration during the mid-19th century also sparked creation of inscribed quilts as poignant reminders of friends and relatives left behind. The tradition of inscribing quilts continued into the 20th century, although the style of quilts changed with popular taste. Inscribed quilts became special memory devices, creating lasting, tangible records of the makers' and recipients' lives and values, commemorating births, weddings and deaths. Inscribed quilts also remain actively used as fundraisers.

            A unique pair of quilts featured in "What's in a Name" represent a rare function of inscribed quilts -- they were made as celebrity autograph “albums.” The quilts, made almost exactly 100 years apart, represent the same idea -- gather as many well-known individuals’ autographs as possible. The range of names found on both quilts represent a literal who's-who of the period in which each was created: politicians, religious leaders, writers and entertainers.

            Programming associated with this exhibition includes:

• April 24, noon, Tuesday Talk: "New Palladian Quilt Discoveries,” Mary Ellen Ducey, UNL Library Archives
• Sept. 7, 5:30 p.m., free admission public lecture: Collector and author Julie Silber "Mark My Words," sponsored by the Dillow Excellence Fund.

            The International Quilt Study Center and Museum's Carolyn Ducey, curator of collections, and Jonathan Gregory, assistant curator of exhibitions, co-authored a full-color catalog of quilts featured in the exhibition. This publication was made possible by funding from the Quilters Guild of Dallas and is available at the museum. Additional support for this exhibition comes from the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and the Friends of the IQSCM.

   The International Quilt Study Center and Museum, 1523 N. 33rd St., is the home of a world-class collection of quilted objects from more than 30 countries and spanning four centuries. Established in 1997, the center opened a new museum building in 2008. The center's mission is to inspire an understanding of the cultural and artistic significance of quilts by collecting, preserving, studying, exhibiting, and promoting discovery of quilts and quiltmaking traditions from many cultures, countries, and times.

 The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays and major holidays. Public tours are offered free with admission Tuesdays through Saturdays at 11 a.m. and on Saturdays at 1 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults (over 18); $3 for non-UNL students with ID and children; $12 for families (up to two adults with their children and grandchildren); free for children under 4, museum members, and UNL faculty, staff and students with ID. For more information, call 402-472-6459 or visit www.quiltstudy.org.

            The International Quilt Study Center is an academic program of the Department of Textiles, Clothing and Design in the UNL College of Education and Human Sciences.

Writer: Maureen Ose