Quilts made in or residing in West Virginia and made before 1975 can be documented for future generations during the upcoming Mountaineer Week.
Documentation will be held Nov. 4-5 in the Cathedral Room in the Mountainlair. The documentation days are part of an ongoing effort to record West Virginia’s quilt artistry and history.
The West Virginia Quilt Documentation Project is sponsored by West Virginia Quilters Inc. — the state-wide quilting guild — in collaboration with the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. The quilt documentation is free, but quilt owners need an appointment for the documentation process.
“Among the treasures that West Virginians often talk about and take pride in are their quilts. Taking the time to have ‘Grandma’s Quilt’ photographed and documented for future generations, historians and researchers is a wonderful way to ensure that the story of this quilt is not lost,” said Roberta Gellner, project coordinator.
Volunteers from across the state examine the quilts and record facts about the quilts and the quiltmakers. The information will be stored in the West Virginia Culture Center Archives as well as in The Quilt Index (quiltindex.org), a national database of quilts from across the country.”
Well-loved and well-worn quilts, as well as family heirlooms and treasures, are welcome for documentation. Quilts where the quiltmaker is unknown are also welcome.
People interested in having their quilts documented can make an appointment with Roberta Gellner,
either by email —umwelthund@frontier.com — or by calling 304-893-8324.
The Project has processed information on more than 500 quilts and their makers since 2016. It is a source of pride for the owners of these quilts to have their quilt information recorded in a national database.
Information about the quilt owners is kept confidential for security purposes, but other quilt information is available for research purposes and for others to view.
Quilts should be brought “as is” — do not wash, repair, or alter a quilt in other ways just for documentation purposes. Details, such as the quiltmaker’s birth date, death date, maiden and married names, are helpful information. Photos of the maker are useful, as well.
