Those Nerdy Quilt People Pt. 2

I talk to inanimate objects - usually not out loud - but in my mind. Well, sometimes out loud but generally not in public. Well, sometimes in public but very, very quietly.

When I see a quilt (new, old or somewhere between,) I am full of questions. Questions about the quilt or the technique.  Sometimes the questions are fairly straightforward:

“How did she do that?”

“What pattern is that? I need it!”

“What was she thinking?”

“I wonder how much it cost to have that heirloom machine quilting done?”

Sometimes the questions are directed more towards the quilt and I wish it could answer:

“Where were you made?”

“I see initials here, I wonder what they stand for?”

“What were the relationships between all the people whose names are on this quilt?”

“What does this quilt mean?”

You know the saying “Every picture tells a story”, I believe that every quilt has a story to tell.

So many questions here! Each star center has an ink inscribed name, some with dates and locations. Some with artwork. The dates range from 1846 to 1852 with locations primarily in the Northeast (Boston, Newark) but also Charleston, S.C.

I believe that all the stars were made by one person. They are all very well pieced.

A lovely chintz star here: Eliza Russell, New Bedford, 6th mo., 10th 1846. Doesn't that make you want to know more?

 Oh how I wish the maker would have added some explanation about this quilt!

Many quilters now put a label on every quilt that they make. If you don’t - you should. Now! 

There are thousands (maybe millions?) of quilts in existence (yes even new ones) with no clues that can help us discover their story. We can tell a part of the story by giving the pieced or appliquéd patterns a name, describing the quilting and dating the fabrics to at least an approximate date. But is that really enough?

There are also many (maybe thousands?) of quilts in existence with enough clues to piece together to help us discover the story. Yes, maybe even a quilt that you own! If we can find clues about the maker or the family that the quilt descends through - we can add that to the story of the quilt. If we can find clues about the age of the fabrics or where the quilt might hail from - we can add that to the story of the quilt, time and place can add lots of context. If there are names involved and we can find a link between the names, it can sometimes add a great deal to the story.

The story that you discover could be very brief - more like a paragraph. It could be an essay. What if it turns out to be a short story? There are quilts out there waiting to tell their stories and if we dig deep enough, that story might be longer and deeper than “War and Peace"!

Those Nerdy Quilt People really want to help tell the stories of these quilts!

Do you have a quilt that begs to have its story told? Maybe you would love to do the research but you don’t have the quilt. There could be one in your local historical society or small museum that needs to be researched. Volunteers are always appreciated!

So, you’ve read this far and you are interested but you say “Lisa, I have no formal training. I don’t know how to do real research.”

Oh come on! We aren’t writing a dissertation here (but it could turn into that for someone) and we don’t have hard and fast rules to follow. How you approach the research depends on what questions you would like the quilt to answer. Each quilt has a different story and we don't need to have names on the quilt to have an interesting story:

This small crazy quilt gives us all sorts of clues but no names. Maybe the story this quilt wants to tell is a different type of story. The story of the interests of someone and the creativity of the maker. Maybe...

The ribbons are all from the Midwest and are all about 4 man rowing and boat clubs.

I wonder what I could find out if I checked out the newspapers of the day? This could have made the news in a small town - how many crazy quilts made of boat club and rowing competition ribbons could there been?

You could join some other Nerdy Quilt People and take this journey together. Because - we could all use a little fellowship with those who “get” us!

I invite you to join me and the awesome Tara Miller (yes, we are a couple of Those Nerdy Quilt People) August 13-16 in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the very first Research Rave, a welcoming, hands-on workshop designed to help you uncover the stories behind your quilts.

We will spend these three days at the beautiful main branch of the Cincinnati Public Library, where you’ll receive step-by-step guidance on how to approach quilt research with care and curiosity. As your leaders but also fellow researchers, Tara and I will share examples of our own research journeys, and support you as you begin exploring the history of your own quilt—or quilts—including tips for using census records, newspapers, archives, and more.

You don’t need to have any prior research experience. You just need your interest, your questions, and your quilt.

And you won’t be doing it alone. You’ll be surrounded by a community of fellow quilt lovers and learners, with access to research librarians and personalized support throughout the week. After our time in Cincinnati, we’ll continue the conversation and offer additional guidance through follow-up Zoom sessions designed to keep your momentum going and celebrate your discoveries. We want to continue to build this community beyond our face to face time!

This isn’t just a workshop—it’s an invitation to connect more deeply with your quilt’s story, and to the lives and hands that made it.

Let’s do this together!

Full details and registration provided at this link: https://quiltdistrict.com/research-rave/