Cumberland County Quilt Documentation Project

Quilts of Cumberland County: ​1700s - 1970

“Women, at one point, didn’t have the opportunity to put their voice on pen and paper so they used quilts.” ~Barbara Thrush

Project Overview

The Cumberland County quilt documentation project began in 2012.   Hundreds of locals brought in their quilts to be recorded and were able to learn much from the quilt experts such as techniques used and quilting trends for the time. Along with the characteristics of the quilts, we documented the stories of the makers and their work. The development and completion of the book was a group effort for guild members.

About the Book

View 170 quilts that were in homes and collections in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and learn about the county’s role as a crossroads in our nation’s history. Documented by members of the Letort Quilters, specimens from the 1700s through 1970 are showcased in beautiful detail,inviting the reader to learn more about these treasures, now housed at the Cumberland County Historical Society. The curated collection highlights some of the features that make quilts of such lastinginterest, and basic informationabout them provides an overview of quilting over the past severalhundred years. It also serves as a reminder of the value of preserving this part of our heritage through simple practices such as labeling a quilt and storing it properly. It will inspire readers to take a new interest in quilts and leave them with basic skills for finding, appreciating, and caring for vintage quilts.

Authors

Letort Quilters Cumberland County Project Committee members Martha L.Jones, Lin Keller, Elizabeth Kisielewski, Debra Lohman, Donna Lohman,Barb Myers, and Barbara Thrush are all quilters and members of theLetort Quilters Guild. They have a common commitment to sharing theirlove of quilts with others who may have yet to see the beauty ourancestors created through this art form.These members brought to the project a variety of skills and knowledge about vintage quilts; some are quilt scholars, some are primarily quilters, but all know the importance of keeping good historical documentation of our heritage. Their goal with this book is to showcase the beauty of quilts made over a period of several hundred years in a way that is accessible to both novice quilters and students of quilt history.

LeTort Quilters of Carlisle

ISBN13: 9780764351099
176 pages, 485 color photos, and 10 black & white photos of quilts in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

Get your copy today!