'Sewing in Wartime' Signature Quilt
Published: Friday, 24th September 2010 15:14 PM
In honour of the current exhibition, 'Sewing in Wartime', volunteers at the Quilt Museum and Gallery have been stitching a replica signature quilt. Gallery stewards invited Museum visitors to add their signature as a memento of their visit to the Museum. Many also added their birthday or date of visit, especially those born during the War years represented in the exhibition. Volunteers and staff also added their signatures, then embroidered the names.
Signature quilts were often a popular type of quilt during wartime. People would donate money to add their name to a quilt and then it would be raffled off to support the war effort.
The Quilt Museum's signature quilt represents the diversity of its visitors and volunteers. International visitors from New Zealand, Australia and New Orleans have added their names. From around the UK, visitors from Newcastle, Norfolk and Glasgow have also contributed to the quilt.
The signature quilt was a real 'make do and mend' effort using recycled materials and scraps. Thank you to all of the volunteers who contributed their time and talents to finishing the quilt. It is now available to see as one of the handling items in the 'Sewing in Wartime' exhibition.
Signature Quilt at the Quilt Museum and Gallery made by volunteers
Visitors' signatures from New Orleans on the 13th of July 2010
Visitors\' signatures from Australia and New Zealand