by Alex Truesdell, Collections Assistant
During the summer of 2024, I worked at the museum as a collections assistant to help with the quilt rehousing project. This project was supported by an IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) grant, and the goal was to improve the storage of the Historic Quilt Collection by reorganizing and condensing the over 300 quilts into one space.
Quilt Rehousing…what’s that?
I primarily worked with other collections staff to remove the quilts stored on older rolled quilt racks on the third floor and transferring them into new, acid-free quilt boxes in the second floor storage space. Since all of the quilts and other textiles were organized into boxes, I also prepared larger labels (with a template made by previous student workers) that include both the quilt’s accession number and an image. The hope is that these make each easier to identify and locate.
Other textiles are also stored on these racks, so another task that I undertook was to separate the quilts from other textiles like rugs and flags so we can give them their own appropriate space.
Photograph of a quilt in the process of being transferred to a new box. Behind it, you can see the boxes formerly used to store quilts that are being retired or repurposed.
Why does this matter?
The work I did with this project is important because it will make the quilts (and many of the other textiles) much more accessible for museum staff for the future. With these storage methods, the quilts will also be in consistent environments better for their long-term preservation and care.
Photograph of new quilt housing with fresh boxes and new racks to house the entire collection in one space.
Working Up Close
I really enjoyed my work on this project because I got to work with the museum’s quilt collection again after my internship in the summer of 2023. It has been exciting to learn about the meticulous care that goes into preserving, researching, and displaying quilts and other textiles. I especially like learning the history of each one, and I admire how much persistence each quiltmaker must have had. For instance, one of my favorite quilts is the ca.1870-1900 Log Cabin – Barn Raising quilt from Matilda Thomas Potter Backus (1949.21.1). The range of fabrics, colors, and strips (24 in each block!) shows amazing attention to detail, and I just think it is beautiful.
1949.21.1, Log Cabin – Barn Raising quilt from Matilda Thomas Potter Backus . Image Courtesy of Kentucky Museum @ WKU.
Preparing for Careers
All in all, I’m just happy to help care for the collection and contribute to the museum once more in such a useful way. The Kentucky Museum’s staff is full of wonderfully dedicated people, and I am grateful to the many opportunities and responsibilities they have given me.
My work entails a lot of the nitty-gritty tasks that go into collections care, which has only strengthened my desire to continue in this field. I feel like this experience (and my previous internship here) are providing invaluable experiences that prepared me for starting my Museum Studies MA in the fall of 2024… in Ireland!