Western PA Quilt Documentation Project

All quilts are entered into the Quilt Index Database.

Upcoming Documentations:

Next Date TBA. Please contact the Foundation office at 724-775-1848 for more information.

Why Document Western Pennsylvania’s Quilt Heritage?

We are quilt historians on a mission to record the sewing heritage of southwestern Pennsylvania, one quilt at a time. This area has rich and varied sewing traditions which have led to the creation of hundreds of hand-made quilts over the past 200 years. These quilts reflect the sewing skills and artistic visions of women who made quilts as a way of caring for their families, documenting their lives and commemorating their loved ones. Help us to bring these family treasures to light!

What Types of Quilts are you Documenting?

There is no fee charged for documentation. Any type of hand-made quilt is welcome: patchwork, appliqué, embroidery, crazy quilts, whole cloth quilts, and quilt tops that have not yet been quilted. Our goal is to document as many of southwestern Pennsylvania’s quilts as possible. We will measure, photograph, date the fabric, identify the pieced or appliquéd pattern, and record the story of your quilt. Unfortunately, we are not able to appraise quilts during the documentation project.

In What Counties will you be documenting?

Ten counties of southwestern Pennsylvania will be included: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland. In each of the counties, we will need assistance in locating sites and volunteers for documentation days.

Who Sponsors this?

The quilt documentation project is sponsored by the Beaver County Historical Research & Landmarks Foundation and was made possible by a grant from the McCarl Foundation. For more information, contact BCHRLF at 724-775-1848 or bchrlf@bchrlf.org, Monday through Friday between 10:00 AM and 3:00PM.  Also, as the schedule becomes more established, we will be working with local organizations such as historical societies, churches, libraries, quilt guilds etc. from the county being documented.

Please Remember When Making your Appointment:

  • Quilts must be owned by a resident of the county in which the documentation is being done
  • Quilts cannot be commercially made
  • Any type of handmade quilt is welcome: Patchwork, applique, embroidery, crazy quilts, whole cloth quilts as well as quilt tops that have not been completed
  • Documentation is limited to two quilts per appointment and is done by appointment only
  • No quilt appraisals will be done at this time
  • Documentation is a free service.We are asking for a $10 donation to help to defray our costs.  

Documentation by Appointment only

For more information, please contact the Foundation office at 724-775-1848.