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Quiltmaking and patchwork have been popular pastimes in the U.S. since the 1700s, and today quilts are highly collectible as works of folk art with historical significance (or just nice to look at). Antique quilts vary widely in design and materials, and can be hard to date definitively because they may have been assembled in phases from older quilts or blocks.

Made from a variety of materials, from elaborate fabrics to scraps of old clothing and som...

Antique quilts are typically categorized by style (broad classification) and pattern (of the individual blocks). Some notable styles include central motif, log cabin, album, circular, star, patriotic, thematic, representational, whole-cloth, charm, utility, signature, medallion, redwork, appliqué small block, applique 4-block, strippey, Colonial Revival, Amish and crazy quilts, among others.

Some notable patterns (of individual blocks) include Sunbonnet Sue, fan, log cabin, Rose of Sharon, 9-patch, Lone Star, Whig’s Defeat, Pot and Flowers, hole in the barn door, bowtie, and so on. There are some situations when the pattern (block) name was also used as the style name (this was common in the 20th century), such as Sunbonnet Sue, Grandmother’s Flower Garden, Dresden Plate and Double Wedding Ring.

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Interviews & Articles

The Beautiful Chaos of Improvisational Quilts

What would jazz look like if it had a physical presence? According to Sherry Ann Byrd, a celebrated quilt maker who posts on Show … [more]

The History of American Quiltmaking: An Interview with Merikay Waldvogel, Part One

I always wondered why I was so fascinated with the quilts. In the early 1980s, when I was the executive director of the Knoxville … [more]

Collecting American Quilts: An Interview With Merikay Waldvogel, Part Two

The beauty of quilts is you can live with them. You can sleep under them. I have a quilt library, too. I not only collect quilts, … [more]

An Interview with Winterthur Textiles Curator Linda Eaton

I started at Winterthur in the summer of 1991 as the head of the textile conservation lab. I morphed over to the curatorial side o… [more]

American Patchwork Quilts

The antique quilts which collectors admire today for their colorfulness and variety of design represent two of the oldest forms of… [more]

Guest Column: An Introduction to Identifying and Collecting Antique Quilts

Many antique quilt collectors think of themselves as caretakers of historical documents, made at the hands of the needlework siste… [more]

An Interview With Tramp Art Collector Clifford Wallach

My first book, "Tramp Art, One Notch at a Time", was self-published in 1998. At the time we started to do the book, it was just as… [more]

Homespun Beauty: Jim Linderman on Folk Art’s Authentic Appeal

My interest in 20th-century American self-taught art came about after I had gone through a million other things—from stamps to boo… [more]

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Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

International Quilt Study Center

International Quilt Study Center

This University of Nebraska affiliated site showcases a spectacular collection of over 1800 colorful quilts from th… [read review or visit site]

Antiquequiltdating.com

Antiquequiltdating.com

Though not an actual online dating site, the subject here is certainly love... of quilts. Kimberly Wulfert has put … [read review or visit site]

The Quilt Index

The Quilt Index

This collaborative project provides a visual index of almost 2,000 antique quilts across multiple museums and colle… [read review or visit site]

American Folk Art Museum

American Folk Art Museum

The American Folk Art Museum's website showcases current and past exhibitions along with their permanent collection… [read review or visit site]

LACMA Luxury Textiles

LACMA Luxury Textiles

Textile collectors shouldn't miss this microsite from the LA County Museum of Art, a great reference on European an… [read review or visit site]

Anonymous Works

Anonymous Works

This blog combines American primitive folk art, vintage vernacular photography, outsider art, and other interesting… [read review or visit site]

The Outsider Art Pages

The Outsider Art Pages

A modern look at folk and outsider art with a focus on what people are doing to keep these traditions alive. The si… [read review or visit site]

Folk Art in Bottles

Folk Art in Bottles

Whether you call them Bottle Whimseys, Whimsey Bottles, Puzzle Bottles, or Whimsies, this site showcases great folk… [read review or visit site]

Index of American Design

Index of American Design

The Index of American Design project (1935-1942) was an effort to catalog American decorative arts objects from the… [read review or visit site]

Stoveburner.com

Stoveburner.com

A stunning collection of 162 images of stoveburners, those corroded cast iron elements that power stoves, broilers,… [read review or visit site]



Clubs & Associations: Folk Art

Other Great Reference Sites: Folk Art

Top eBay Auctions

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Recent News: Quilts

Source: Google News

Antiques from Heritage Center in Horst auction Feb. 18
Auction Central News, February 3rd

An interesting variety of Pennsylvania butter prints will be offered on the auction as well as a selection of vibrant antique quilts. A fraktur birth record by Jacob Fleischer and descended in the Bomberger family of northern Lancaster County is...Read more

Places to Go
Tbo.com, February 2nd

The quilt show will feature the Hoffman Challenge traveling quilt collection along with dolls, quilts and the winners of the 2012 Kumquat Challenge. A fashion show of quilted garments will be held both days, as will a trunk show and quilt appraisals by...Read more

Gilbert Historical Society seeking quilts for annual show
Arizona Republic, February 2nd

The show will have a silent auction of antique quilt block sets and antique quilt tops. Table runners, aprons and assorted items will be for sale as will the new cookbook by the Museum Quilters. Demonstrations of quilting techniques will be held on...Read more

A month to love art
Las Cruces Sun-News, January 29th

10 and 11 features over 200 judged quilts, a merchant's mall, an antique quilt display, quilt appraisals, door prizes and quilt workshops. We'll even have a very special musical surprise at 2 pm Saturday, Feb. 11, that you won't want to miss," says...Read more

Calling all East Valley quilters
East Valley Tribune, January 26th

Feed sack quilts from the 30s and 40s. • Antique quilt block sets and antique quilt tops to be auctioned off during a silent auction. • Table runners, aprons and assorted items for sale, as well as the newly published cookbook by the Museum Quilters...Read more

Republicans Form Circular Firing Squad
Sunshine State News, January 17th

William Scranton released a letter to the senator accusing him of "nuclear irresponsibility" and "supporting a whole crazy-quilt collection of absurd and dangerous positions." In his last-minute attempt to wrest the Republican nomination from Goldwater...Read more

Explore Birmingham's History in Quilts, Firsthand
Patch.com, January 12th

The ticketed event will include quilting experts and a chance for serious quilters to get their hands on the museum's extensive quilt collection. By Laura Houser Volunteers at the Birmingham Historical Museum and Park work on the prize quilt to be...Read more

The Modern Art of Antique Quilts - A Fisher Heritage Specialty; at Hayes Fine ...
ArtfixDaily (blog), January 9th

“Visual impact, design, sculptural quality, and fabrics are characteristics of antique quilts that guide collecting today,” according to NYC Americana dealer Laura Fisher. Design-astute individuals view quilts as art, not simply craft...Read more

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