ART! Every Quilt Tells a Story – at the University of Rhode Island

Photo ID: “Every Quilt Tells a Story†is now on exhibit inside Quinn Hall at the University of Rhode Island. (URI photo/Nicholas Phillips)

Down a quiet, first-floor corridor in Quinn Hall at the University of Rhode Island lies a singular exhibit. Within the softly illuminated space of the Textile Gallery sits a tapestry of colors, history, and narratives woven through thread.

The College of Business’ textile exhibit is officially open to the public. This year’s theme is “Every Quilt Tells a Story.â€Â 

The concept for the exhibit originated from a presentation delivered two years ago by URI Historic Textile and Costume Collection manager Susan Jerome, textiles and fashion merchandising professor Linda Welters, and lecturer Rebecca Kelly, during which they explored the 50 odd quilts housed in the University’s collection.

The exhibit features eight quilts and numerous quilt fragments, some dating as far back as the 18th century. Many of the pieces not only highlight the artisanship involved but also offer profound cultural insights. Most of the quilts were meticulously hand-stitched to give visitors clues about the maker’s social standing and, in some cases, deeply personal stories.

“They were a way for a woman to display her abilities as a needle woman, beyond just sewing clothing,†says Jerome. “And then the fabrics that are used can tell you a lot about the technological changes that occurred in the textile industry.â€

One of the centerpieces of the exhibit, “One Block Quilt,†is an excellent example of the reuse of fabric. The person who sewed it utilized different fabrics, such as one from a window curtain. The pattern used for the quilt was printed in France around the 1790s.

A textile, fashion merchandising, and design graduate student works on resewing an unfinished March 1915 quilt by Mary Bristow. (URI photo/Nicholas Phillips)

“We also have an 1864 Florence sewing machine on display as well as many historic tools for sewing —both homemade and purchased,†says Jerome.

The exhibit is the culmination of about a year’s worth of extensive student effort. As part of one of their academic courses, graduate students worked on every aspect of the exhibit in preparation for the show — from researching each artifact to writing engaging, educational descriptions of each piece for attendees, to working on actual displays. Because some pieces are too fragile to hang, some students spent time working on ways to display the most delicate quilts, while others worked on resewing some of the quilts.

“It’s very easy to just lay them flat but we worked to display these articles to give visitors greater context because they were such important items for people,†said Kelly.

Remington Grosze, a textile, fashion merchandising and design master’s student, from St. Louis, Missouri, says the experience is one that he and others will take with them. Students gain tangible examples of their work for their portfolio, especially if they aspire to curatorial roles. The hands-on experience offers a dual perspective: curating a public exhibit and engaging in the behind-the-scenes conservation of centuries-old artifacts.

“To be able to work on this exhibit, to be involved in as many aspects as we were, and to be able to use our hands for sewing and stitching, has been an amazing experience,†she says.

The exhibit is slated to be up through next spring.