An English Quilter in America

by Jenni Dobson
published: 19/01/2001
printer friendly version

When I was invited to Nebraska last summer, I wondered whether I could also fit in a visit to the International Quilt Study Centre (IQSC) at the University of Nebraska. Fortunately, the friend who met me at the airport is also a volunteer at the Study Centre so was able to arrange a visit without difficulty.

The Study Centre is open for visits by members of the public on weekday mornings. It is located in a large building devoted to the study of textile and garment production. The core of the IQSC is the James collection of quilts. This collection was amassed by Robert and Ardis James, starting when quilts seemed somewhat out of favour and could be bought for relatively low prices. They thought that the different styles of quilt-making ought to be preserved for the future and went on to buy the works of contemporary makers also. With a collection of over 900 items, they eventually decided to offer it to a public institution, the stipulations being that the collection be accepted as a whole, that proper storage facilities should be provided and that the public should have the chance to see the quilts regularly. Some illustrious establishments failed to secure the collection because they wanted to select which items they’d take.

Eventually a team in Nebraska arranged an exhibition of selected items that was sufficiently well-attended to prove to the James' satisfaction that their treasures would have a good home. The university provided the storage facility which is basically a single room. It has a work area with a computer desk and a large table where a quilt can be spread out for working on it. The room is kept at 50% humidity and a temperature of 62 degrees. Ideally it should be cooler but this temperature is just about tolerable for the volunteers to work in. The rest of the room houses an electrically-operated racking system such is used in libraries.

From funds raised, storage boxes have been provided and most quilts are stored in these in acid-free tissue, usually two per box. A few items are not suitable for box storage, such as a painted-encrusted Faith Ringgold piece. The curator, Carolyn Ducey, believes the facility could cope with further acquisitions as most of the boxes could take up to three quilts - a good thing as the James didn’t part with quite all their collection yet and continue both to buy and to present additional items to the Centre.

The archives at the International Quilt Study Center

The Nebraska State Quilt Guild was so excited by the arrival of the collection that it pledged to raise $15,000 per year for ten years to support the work of the IOSC. Nebraska is a large state so for some members the journey to Lincoln isn't undertaken frequently but amongst the members a group of regular volunteers has been formed, called the James Gang! Their job is to help keep the items cared for, vacuuming them, sewing on hanging sleeves when the pieces go for exhibition and so on, and they also fund-raise.

At the Guild conference which 1 attended, the main fundraiser was a silent auction: a room chockful of goodies for which you go and register your bid over the week-end. You go back and see how the bidding is looking. If someone has outbid you and you really want the item, you increase your bid. I'm sure that it will have made a good contribution to that year's target.

Clearly this activity relies heavily on the good will of the James Gang members who organise and spear-head the money spinners, but I also applaud the attitudes of many of the Guild members. It is perhaps true (so far as any such generalisations can be) that there are more ‘traditional’ quiltmakers in America compared to makers in the ‘contemporary’ style. Nonetheless, I was impressed that this translates into action. There are quilters who don't actually want to pursue the history side of things themselves but, as traditional makers, are glad that it is of interest to others and are willing to support the care, conservation and study of old quilts through supporting the fundraising. Perhaps you could say that it's a consumerist attitude: ‘I don't wish to do it myself, but I see it's important so I'll help pay someonelse who is willing to do it’.

Whatever the explanation, it's still an impressive feat for this one state to raise the equivalent of about £10,000 annually. for the Study Centre - just think what the Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles Guild could do with that sum towards a home for its Heritage collection!

Books by Jenni Dobson
'Art Deco Quilts, Making classic quilts and modern variations', Museum Quilts Publications, 1995.
'Sweet & Simple Country Quilts', Museum Quilts (UK), 1996.
'Reader's Digest Patchwork', Quilting and Applique, 1998.
'Patchwork, Quilting and Applique' The Art of Crafts series, Crowood Press, (published June 2000)

© Jenni Dobson