Textiles and the Triplett Sisters

This fall the decision was made to move part of the Poos Collection to a new storage facility. When you are dealing with one of the largest quilt and textile collections in the world the idea of a move can be a bit daunting…overwhelming. People began to ask me questions about care and storage, and so I’m happy to address this in a series of articles in the blog. The articles won’t be sequential, so if it isn’t a topic that interests you, we won’t bore you by writing about the same thing each week. If this is a topic of interest, just know that we will address a variety of information around the subject in upcoming articles. The first thing to consider is the environment that you are going to store your quilts. Remember this...

Hopefully by now you’re singing along with your favorite version of the song “Feeling Good!” This year started off with a bang, being featured on “The Quilt Show” video on New Year’s Day on collecting and later in the week on indigo resist. The Triplett Sisters have an exciting year planned and can hardly wait! So, we hope you’ll be thrilled to join us in several of our quilting adventures. First, we will be launching our first ever Block of the Month quilt. It really is an adventure for us, with all the details to be worked out. It is based on an 1856 Friendship Quilt from the Poos Collection and will also have a modern hand-painted option too. So, stay tuned for more details! Did I mention that the antique friendship quilt is also featured in...

It is the end of the year and many are announcing the best and worst list for the year. However, I hesitated to do so because it is so subjective. Also, even if I didn’t choose an exhibition, auction, or book at the top of the list, it doesn’t mean it didn’t have value or that I couldn’t learn something from it. Instead, I decided to pick my “favorites” of the year, that way I’m being honest about the subjectivity. Favorite Exhibition: The Fabric of India at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. I technically saw the exhibition in December of 2015, but the exhibition ran into this year, as did my reading of the exhibition book. It was an amazing exhibition, which provided some detailed info for a new theory of fabric printing Kay and...

This month Quilt & Textile Collections is celebrating 5 years. It has been amazing five years filled with wonderful textiles, exhibitions, and people. We’ve been shocked and pleased at how many different countries and nationalities have connected with QTC. To celebrate that diversity we offer you a variety of quilts and languages, wherever your home may your holiday be filled with love, peace, and joy. Frohe Weihnachten, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah, メリークリスマス, God jul! Feliz Natal, Vrolijk Kerstfeest, חג מולד שמח, E ku odun keresimesi! Buon Natale, Καλά Χριστούγεννα, Joyeux Noel, matunda ya kwanza!

At various times this year I’ve had three friends ask me if I was familiar with the quilts from Gee’s Bend. Yes, of course, I answered.  Theses quilts are an important contribution to the African-American visual and cultural art scene in the US. However, these quilts are from a small group of about 50 women in the collective and do not reflect the full artistic range of African American quilting. So, it is exciting to see the first African American Quilt Conference spearheaded by Marla Jackson coming to fruition. Approximately 10 different quilt exhibitions will be held concurrently for the conference at multiple locations in Lawrence, KS including: The Spencer Museum of Art, The Lawrence Arts Center, and the Lawrence Public Library.  The exhibitions will include a broad range of quilts by Aisha Lumumba, Viola Burley Leak,...