May 20, 2022

The instinct to create is older than humanity—decorating every corner of our world, and even sending art into the stars. Taking the time and energy to add beauty to even the most simple and necessary of objects is an act of love. Nowhere is that love more evident than in the new exhibit at the Chester County History Center, Unfolded, on display now through October. Showcasing quilts made in Chester County throughout the past few centuries, the display is full of craftsmanship, care, and artistry.

CCHC has become a hub for quilt and textiles over the past few years because other quilt museums in the area have closed and people want to share these gorgeous pieces. “CCHC has received several quilt donations in the past six years and this was a great opportunity to highlight them,” says Ellen Endslow, Director of Collections/Curator at the CCHC. “We have an excellent volunteer group that is experienced with quilt installations and were willing to once again step up to the challenge.”

Choosing which to include was part of the challenge. The CCHC now has a collection of over 150 quilts, not including unfinished pieces and segments. “We focused on the recent acquisitions because most of them have never been publicly exhibited before,” Endslow says. “We hope it will provide an opportunity for quilters to come and see examples from the 19^th and 20^th centuries.”

While almost everyone has a quilt in their house, not all are made equal. The pieces on display showcase a range of techniques, styles, and patterns. Hundreds, if not thousands of hours went into creating some of the quilts, either by one person or a community. “These pieces represent fine quality and practical utilitarian sewing,” Endslow notes. “They represent consumerism and the latest design as well as frugality and practicality.”

Barbara Garrett, a Quilt Historian and Documentation Consultant, puts it another way. “It is so important to have this record of women’s work,” she says. “There needs to be a stable place to store, record, and display these examples.” You can see the pride that the craftswomen put into each square and stitch, especially those that display the names of their makers. “The Name-Inscribed Friendship Quilts,” Garrett notes, pointing out a gorgeous Turkey Red on-point quilt with green sashing, “many people call them Signature Quilts, but this one you can see, the names were all written by one person, probably whoever had the nicest penmanship.” Titled “Friends,” the quilt from the mid-1800s made by Sarah Mitchell Gawthrop has 50 names, though the connection between them is unknown. Perhaps they were the makers, or the women of the community, or people special to Gawthrop herself.

The variety of fabrics is a distinctive detail of the art of quilting. Some pieces in the exhibit are made of “scrap” fabric, but both Endslow and Garrett note how much work goes into those pieces. “Scraps,” a quilt most likely made by Elizabeth Taylor Brown Graham, includes beautiful silk fabrics, and is displayed with a dress made from one of those fabrics which was worn by the maker’s daughter, Florence Graham. The workmanship in both the dress and the quilt is extraordinary. But while scraps and remnants may have been used in the quilts, a large amount of specially bought fabric would have been used in almost every instance for the sashing, edging, and backing.

Many of the quilts on display might be familiar to Brandywine Valley residents, in either style, pattern, or color. The “Turkey Red” used in many of the quilts on display, either as scraps or as a predominant fabric, is a trademark of the Quaker community of the area. Others, such as the vivid quilt titled “Dyes,” represent the “crazy quilt” pattern that used a mixture of scraps from hand-sewn clothes and available fabrics. This specific quilt was made from the bright, chemically dyed silks that became both available and fashionable after the Civil War. The unknown artist created rows of diamonds filled with geometric spirals, with seams and stiches so invisible they look painted rather than sewn.

Indeed, a painterly eye can be seen in all the quilts on display. As Garrett notes, “We in the quilt world think of a quilt as art done in fabric rather than oil or pastels.” Contemporary textile artists continue to take this farther, creating paintings with fabric or using threadwork to “draw” intricate images on fabric.

“These artifacts reflect a lot of time and commitment, from idea to completion,” Endslow comments. Garrett agrees: “This was these women’s work and lives, in fabric.” Quilts are objects of utility, meant to provide warmth and comfort. But with each stitch and piece, you can see the love that went into the quilt. They are testaments to the artistry of the makers, and the talent on display in everyday objects.

Unfolded is on display at the Chester County History Center from May until October. The Chester County History Center is located at 225 N. High Street, West Chester, PA. Find out more at MyCCHC.org.