Smithsonian National Quilt Collection: An Overview

An introduction to the Smithsonian Institution's National Quilt Collection at the National Museum of American History.

Learn more about the National Quilt Collection:


This virtual tour was made possible by a grant from Patty Stonesifer and Michael Kinsley through The Seattle Foundation.

The gift was made in honor of Mrs. Frances Quigley.

[cynthiamoon]

I *do* feel better about how long some of my quilts are taking.

It took over 70 years for my grandma's quilt to become complete from start to finish. Don't know how long it took her to hand piece the hexies for the Grandmother's Garden but when I got the unfinished top in the late 80s it had languished for 40 years. It would be another 30 years before it was finally complete and it lives on my bed. Very special.

Lovely piece, thank you for sharing.

[TerriMagoo]

I have a very adorable quilt made by my great grandmother in Naperville IL - early 1900s

[kaytcollett]

This is a beautiful display! I relate to the women who gave her son his quilt 20 years later! I started one for my son that’s taken over a year 😂

[rosesulla]

Love this site. Enjoyed it very much. My grand ma in Kentucky made many quilts for her family to keep warm. Thank you💕

[HJKelley]

Interesting how she failed to mention the Gees Bend collection of quilts by the African American women of Boykin (Gees Bend) Alabama. Their mothers & grandmothers made quilts, and were former slaves. They began making quilts there in the 1800's.

[lillianpalko]

Wow.  I need to see these quilts some day.

[Neicorr]

It’s such a beautiful art, one can buy preprinted cloth that only needs to be simply sown to make it look like a quilt. Some of these should be archived to show the future of our wasted society.

[mariammmartinez]

Very creative and warm in appearance...

[marshaflorom]

I would love to be a quilt collector!!

[janisdavisjanis]

I am surprised the fabrics are handled without gloves.

[OutWestRedDirt]

Why did you ruin video with background music?

[rosariomitchcooney]

I would like to listen to lovely lady, but the background music is far too loud & my hearing is not the best, so will turn off sound.

[agnesquigley]

Thank you so much. I had no idea that that even exist

[stelitacantanhede]

A parte mais interessante desta coleção não é comentada...perferam a oportunidade de dar crédito às mulheres negras que construiram um bela e aofrida história neste país, transformando retalhos em obras históricas...the Gees Bend quilts!😢

[suzannehaigh]

If quilting is purely "American" how come the quilt from 1765 came from Englamd?

[geraldinebobnar]

It seems inconceivable that Museum workers are not using GLOVES to handle the precious quilts. Even QuiltShows specifically utalize gloves to prevent oil in the hands from transferring to the fabrics which will further deteriorate the fabrics.

[mariGentle]

This would be fantastic but the camera work is awful. Quickly scanning over everything no chance to really look