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Go directly to the collection, Quilts and Quiltmaking in America, 1978-1996, in American Memory, or view a Summary of Resources related to the collection.
Quilts and Quiltmaking in America 1978-1996 provides the opportunity for students to learn historical thinking skills through unique activities adaptable to multiple age groups. The many changes documented in this collection foster chronological thinking, while the depth of its materials on quilting support a fun activity in which students can gain and demonstrate an understanding of this topic by planning a museum or exhibit. Other activities foster research, analysis, and interpretation skills.
Chronological Thinking
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Because of its two components, this collection is an excellent resource for understanding change through time. Younger students can be guided through the collection to understand how quilting changed from the time of the Blue Ridge quilters to that of the Lands' End quilters. They can test their understanding by matching images of quilts with the two groups of quilters and their respective time periods.
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Strip quilt, detail.
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1992 Oklahoma State Winner; Coming Home.
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Older students can discuss some of the larger changes, such as changes in the economy, in culture, in the arts, and in perceptions of women that might have affected changes in quilting. They can also use the following questions to form a more sophisticated understanding of change through analysis.
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- What are the best indications of whether a quilt was made by the Blue Ridge quilters or the Lands' End quilters?
- What does this tell you about the kinds of changes that took place in quilting and their causes?
- Many of the quilts are hard to match with a time period. Why is this? What does this contribute to your understanding of change and of quilting?
- Do you think that there will be many changes in quilting in the future? Why or why not? If so, what might those changes be?
- What has not changed in quilting? Why do you think that is?
Historical Comprehension
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As outlined in the U.S. History section, students can use this collection to gain a thorough understanding of quilting. Students can establish and demonstrate their understanding of this multi-faceted topic through an activity in which they are asked to plan a museum or exhibit on quilting. What aspects of quilting do they want to feature? The technical aspects of how quilts are made? The backgrounds of quilters and their motivations? The symbolism of quilts? The history of traditional quilting? Its revival in the late twentieth century? What information does the museum audience need in order to understand these topics? How will this information be presented? In demonstrations? Photographs? Film? Text? Interviews? Web pages? How could students find and create these materials?
 "They need to be stretched real tight so they come out smooth."
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Bertha Marion, quilting.
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Historical Analysis and Interpretation
1992 Wyoming State Winner; All American Medley.
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This collection can be used to study three different types of analysis and interpretation. First, many of the Lands' End quilts such as these, have notes that explain the quilters' intentions and can help one learn to recognize volition and meaning in visual work. Refer students to some of these quilts and ask them to explain how the quilter tried to express certain ideas or fulfill certain goals through her quilt. Then, ask students to look at some quilts without notes and attempt an interpretation of what the quilter was trying to communicate or accomplish.
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1996 Arizona State Winner; These Do I Love.
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In addition to the creator's intentions, a quilt can also express information about the time period in which it was made. Students can learn to access this information with the following questions:
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1992 1st Place National Winner; Proud to be an American.
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- What themes or topics recur in the Lands' End quilts and notes?
- What does this suggest about what people were concerned with at the time these quilts were made?
- What do the materials, techniques, and subject matter suggest about America at this time, its economy, politics, culture, and arts community?
- What do the materials, techniques, and subject matter of the Blue Ridge quilts suggest about their creators and the time period in which they lived?
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Finally, the special presentation, Speaking of Quilts: Voices from the Late 20th Century offers an interpretation of the entire collection. How does this interpretation suggest we look at and understand the collection's materials? Do you agree with this interpretation? How else might one interpret this collection? In what ways is the collection itself an interpretation of its materials? How else might you have presented these materials?
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Historical Issue-Analysis and Decision-Making
1996 New Hampshire State Winner; Patchwork of History.
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The quilting revival occurred at the same time as what cultural critics have identified as a national heritage movement, or mood of nostalgia, in the late twentieth century. This movement expressed a renewed interest in American history and traditions in the mass commercialization of them. This commercialization took a variety of forms, from the sale of collectibles to history-related tourism and entertainment.
Cultural critics have suggested possible causes of this movement. One idea is that people of the late twentieth century were attempting, through this commercialization, to create the meaningful connections with the past that they lacked in an age of rapid change. A second idea is that people were reacting against industrialization and idealizing the pre-industrial era as a simpler time. Consequences of the movement include, on the one hand, an increased interest in and accessibility to history and, on the other hand, an oversimplification and vulgarization of it.
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Examining the Lands' End materials with the following questions, students can determine whether they think the quilting revival might have been part of this movement and form their own opinions about representations of history.
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- Are many of the Lands' End quilts about history, heritage, or tradition? What can you find out by searching on these words?
- Do you think quilts have become a form of the commercialization of history and tradition? What do the quilters' motivations tell you about this?
- Do you find evidence in the quilters' notes that either of the two possible causes mentioned above motivated or influenced them?
- Do you feel that the Lands' End quilts reflect an oversimplification or vulgarization of history? Why or why not?
- What do you think are the pros and cons of commercializing history?
- Why might quilting be such a popular medium for expressing ideas about history and tradition? What other topics are widely represented in the quilts?
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1992 Missouri State Winner; Echoes From the Prairie.
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Historical Research Capabilities
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