The Wyoming Quilt Project: Preserving History Through Quilts

In 1994, a small but dedicated group of Wyoming women came together to start documenting the state’s quilts. The Wyoming Quilt Project was created with a mission of photographing and recording details about Wyoming’s quilts—those that were made in the state and those that had made their way here over time. The women who organized the project understood that quilts hold valuable information that can help us learn about the past. They documented almost 3,000 quilts over the next two decades before donating the records to the American Heritage Center for future researchers and quilt-lovers to study and admire.

The Preservation Team

Several of the women who started the Wyoming Quilt Project had previously worked on Colorado’s quilt documentation project, and they recognized the need to do something similar for Wyoming. Tammy Au-France was one of the founding members of the project, and Sonya Meyer, from UW’s Family & Consumer Sciences Department at the time, was also involved. I recently got in contact with Au-France and Meyer, and they were kind enough to answer some questions about the project and share their experiences with me.

Au-France shared that she, Anne Olsen, Wendye Ware, Kathleen Bertoncelj, and Brett Selmer were the founding members of the project. Later on, Meyer and many other volunteers also joined the state’s quilt documentation project. Meyer shared that one of her fondest memories about the project was “the camaraderie of working with the other women on a common passion.” Shown below is a photo of some of the women who turned the idea of documenting Wyoming’s quilts into a reality.

A photo album page that shows quilts that were documented in 1995 and a group photo of some of the women involved in the project. Box 25, Wyoming Quilt Project Records, 1994-2013, Coll. No. 12713, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Project Goals

The primary goal of the project was simple: to learn about and record the stories behind Wyoming’s quilts. The self-funded group of quilt-lovers traveled to towns across Wyoming and invited people to bring in their quilts to be examined and photographed. It didn’t matter if the quilts were old or new, small or large, or made in Wyoming or not. It only mattered that they resided in Wyoming and hadn’t been documented in any other state. Au-France shared that the group wanted to ensure that the quilts’ histories weren’t lost. She believes they achieved this goal, especially given that the project ended when the number of participants bringing in quilts slowed substantially.

Each quilt was assigned an identification number, and a thorough investigation of each quilt was conducted to identify its age, materials, patterns, and construction. The members of the project also encouraged people to share any information they had about their quilt and the person who had made it. For a small fee, people would receive a photo of their quilt and a copy of the information that had been gleaned from the analysis. These documentation forms and photographs were saved for the AHC, making up the majority of the Wyoming Quilt Project Records.

Newspaper article from 1994 calling on people to bring in their quilts to be documented for the project. *The Platte County Record Times*, Volume 71, Number 31, August 13, 1994, wyomingnewspapers.org.

The Collection

The quilt documentation forms hold an abundance of information about Wyoming’s quilts. The examiners took measurements and recorded pattern names and the types of materials and techniques used. They recorded the visual appearance of each quilt including the predominant colors, binding, quilting, batting, and backing. In addition, they assessed the condition of each quilt and when it was likely made if that information wasn’t already known by the person who had brought it in. Other than the physical aspects of the quilts, the examiners also recorded each quilt’s history and any known information about the quiltmaker, how the materials had been sourced, why the quilt was made, and who had owned it throughout its history. Although the “anecdotes and stories” section of the form wasn’t always filled in, it’s an especially interesting source of information that can help us gain a better understanding of the lives of average Americans over time.

The documentation forms provide a wealth of information, but a picture is worth a thousand words, and it would be impossible to imagine the collection without pictures. The collection includes digital photos and color slides of every quilt that was analyzed. Each quilt that was brought to a documentation site was photographed at least three times. The first picture was of the entire quilt, the second was the quilt next to a color wheel, and the third was a close-up of a particularly interesting section of the quilt.

The Wyoming Quilt Project Records at the AHC also include details about other states’ quilt documentation projects, photo albums featuring the quilts and their identification numbers, oral history interview transcripts conducted with quiltmakers or their relatives, a poster board explaining the documentation process, and a quilted sign.

The Wyoming Quilt Project quilted sign. Box 13, Wyoming Quilt Project Records, 1994-2013, Coll. No. 12713, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

The Project’s Significance

If quilts are thought of as historical documents that can help us understand the past, it becomes clear why the Wyoming Quilt Project Records belong at the AHC. In so many ways, quilts help to reveal what life was like for people throughout history. They show the techniques that have been passed down through generations, what patterns were popular, what the people of the day were focused on celebrating, and what materials were available to them. Meyer shared that the documentation team discovered quilts with newspaper batting, quilts with other quilts used as batting, and quilt tops made from unique materials like sack cloth fabric, velvet, satin, and even campaign and commemorative ribbons. Meyer revealed that one quilt from the project that has stayed in her memory is a quilt that was made in Oklahoma during the Great Depression. The quilt top was made from tobacco sacks, and, according to Meyer, it “really brings to light what people did to ‘make do’ during the Depression.” This is an excellent example of how wider societal issues influence everyday activities like quilt making.

A photo album page that shows the front and back of Quilt 550. The quilt top is a crazy quilt, which was a popular style at the end of the nineteenth century. The quilt’s back is made up of tobacco flannels which were advertising materials sold with tobacco products during the early twentieth century. The exact date this particular quilt was made is unknown. This isn’t the Great Depression quilt Meyer was referring to, but it is another example of how crafty quiltmakers use the materials available to them. Box 25, Quilt 550, Wyoming Quilt Project Records, 1994-2013, Coll. No. 12713, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Quilts are also deeply personal to the people who own them. There are so many beautiful stories from the Wyoming Quilt Project Records that demonstrate why quilts matter—they hold cherished memories and connect people to their families and friends. One powerful example from the Wyoming Quilt Project Records was a quilt that was owned by a woman who had taught elementary school students for 31 years. As a retirement gift, the students teamed up with the school’s art teacher and each made a quilt block. The woman wrote that, “I put it together and it is one of my treasures. I will leave it, with love to my great grand daughter [sic], Jasmine, who is also a treasure.” This quilt represents her long and meaningful career and also demonstrates how quilts strengthen family connections.

Elementary students made these blocks and gifted them to their teacher when she retired after 31 years. Digital quilt pictures, Quilt 676, Wyoming Quilt Project Records, 1994-2013, Coll. No. 12713, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Quilts as History and Culture

Quilts are historical documents that can reveal valuable information about the past, but they are first and foremost pieces of culture that have lives to live outside of the archive. They need to keep people warm and cozy and help connect people to their families and communities. The dedicated women of the Wyoming Quilt Project who were quiltmakers and quilt-lovers themselves respected this fact and spent time and energy extracting the information from Wyoming’s quilts to be stored for future generations without separating the quilts from their cultural roles. They also taught the value of quilts and likely changed how a lot of people view the quilts in their own lives.

The Wyoming Quilt Project Records at the American Heritage Center put the spotlight on average people doing everyday activities, and this is what makes history. If you love quilts or are interested in exploring what they can tell us about our past, then visit the AHC and take a look at this collection. I only explored a fraction of the Wyoming Quilt Project Records and was able to learn so much! There are powerful stories about quilts from across Wyoming, and you might even learn something about your hometown or your own family history. At the very least, you can now look at the quilts around your house a little differently and start asking questions about where they came from, who made them, and how they got to you.

A special thanks to Tammy Au-France and Sonya Meyer for sharing their insights and memories about the Wyoming Quilt Project!

Post contributed by AHC Graduate Assistant Harper Pachel, a student in the University of Wyoming’s American Studies Program.

Explore Contemporary Wyoming Fiber Artists

Want to see how Wyoming’s quilting traditions continue today? Explore our exhibit “Thread by Thread: Fiber Arts in Wyoming” on Virmuze, which showcases the vibrant community of contemporary fiber artists across the state. From quilters like Kay Ferris creating stunning star quilts to Amy Phister working to preserve traditional techniques, discover how modern Wyoming artists carry forward the same spirit of creativity and craftsmanship documented in the Wyoming Quilt Project. The exhibit features beautiful photography and personal stories that reveal how quilting and other fiber arts remain vital parts of Wyoming communities, connecting generations through shared skills and passion for handmade textiles.