Covering the Culture: Quilts and Coverlets of the Pennsylvania Dutch
The Quilts in the collection of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center show a variety of patterns, styles, and functions while spanning a range of dates from the early 1800s to contemporary quilts. A variety of quilting styles are used as well, including pieced and appliqued quilts. Pieced refers to a process where individual pieces of fabric are cut and sewn together to create a design. Often these pieces are sewn into what is known as “blocks” which are uniform in size. Once all blocks are constructed, the maker will then attach them together to have the form of the quilt. Applique is the technique of cutting out and attaching a separate piece of fabric to a quilt top, usually with decorative stitches. Because of this process, appliques can allow for very ornate, curved designs that would not be possible with piecework. Both of such styles are reflected in the collection and show a wide range of regional cultural expression.
Over time, quilting went from a necessity to keep one’s family warm and covered in the colder months, to a form of artistic expression. Quilting was primarily done by women, though today it has become a less gendered hobby. Over time quilting became not just about the finished product, but about the process it took to get there. Quilting became a way to show off needlework skills and creativity and today is still used as such. It also became a means of socialization. Quilting was usually taught to young girls by family members and was often a communal and multi-generational process to complete a quilt. The long process of finishing a quilt required hand-stitching all the layers of the quilt together so that it could be used as a functional blanket, and was usually done in a group that allowed plenty of time for the social reinforcement of community bonds.
This group process is reflected in the collection at the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center. While the names of the many artists who worked on these quilts may not be known, through the stitches that were used to finish them viewers can see the teamwork that was needed for them to become the celebrated artifacts they are today. Four visitors’ quilts from the Kutztown Folk Festival show this social aspect of quilting as part of a cooperative effort at a public event, showing hand stitching worked on by numerous visitors over the years, accompanied by written messages the visitors left behind.
Quilts
Woven Coverlets
Throughout the first half of the nineteenth century, local weavers produced elaborate coverlets that often featured striking patterns in high contrast colors. Typically woven with a programmable Jacquard loom that utilized a sequence of punched cards to determine the patterns, coverlets were woven from colored wool and white linen. Many coverlets feature panels bearing the name of the weaver and their location, as well as the name for whom the coverlet was created. Often presented as wedding gifts to new brides, coverlets were personalized and held sentimental significance for the families that used them.
Folk Festival Visitors’ Quilts
The Kutztown Folk Festival ran from 1950-2024 and showcased folklife traditions from regional Pennsylvania culture. One tradition that the festival continued was the visitor’s quilt, where a quilt top would be made prior to the festival but the quilting itself would take place over the weeks that the festival was running when visitors participated in finishing the quilt. In these quilts the hand stitches and written signatures, drawings, and messages can be seen.
