Research Guides: Quilts in Kentucky: Home

Kentucky Quilts and Their Makers by Mary Washington Clarke; Ira Kohn (Illustrator) Kentucky's contribution to the perennially popular American craft of quiltmaking is a rich and varied one. Mary Clarke examines here the state of the craft in Kentucky and finds it as lively today as it was 150 years ago. Like a fingerprint, every Kentucky quilt differs from all others in some respects, whether it is an original creation or a variation of one of the traditional patterns long popular in the United States. And many Kentucky quilts reveal much about the individual maker -- her disposition, taste, and lifestyle, the familiar objects that bring joy to her daily life, and her response to events beyond the confines of family and home. Taken as a whole, Kentucky quilts and quilt names reflect the history of the Commonwealth, at every turn showing the intermingling of old and new in the grassroots continuity of an ancient craft that responds to fads and fashions by absorbing and refining them.
Call Number: Electronic Book
Publication Date: 1993
Aunt Jane of Kentucky by Eliza Calvert Hall
Call Number: Electronic Book
Publication Date: 1995

Welcome to Quilts in Kentucky Research Guide which provides a wealth of resources on the art, design, culture, and history of quilts and quilt making in the Bluegrass State. You will also find general resources on the art of quilt making and the quilters. Kentucky has a very rich heritage of quilters, quilts and quilting. Delve into what began as a necessary craft and grew into art and an industry.

Quilts Matter! They tell stories and illuminate our history. They link generations and foster community. They are one of the most universally recognized American art forms. Today 27 million Americans are involved in quiltmaking. Quilts matter! -- from the Alliance for American Quilts.