The Illinois Quilt Research Project

The Illinois Quilt Research Project (IQRP), organized in 1986, is a cooperative effort between the Land of Lincoln Quilters' Association and the Early American Museum. The IQRP administered thirty "Quilt Days" in communities throughout Illinois from 1988 to 1991. Private and publicly owned quilts were brought in for registration by a team of IQRP Board members assisted by local volunteers. The opportunity to register was completely voluntary and there was no specific attempt to interest collectors or museums to share their collections from the early period. The success of each site day was clearly dependent on the enthusiasm of our local organizers and evidence of that enthusiasm can be seen in the range and numbers of quilts registered in each area. Over 15,000 quilts were registered at this time.

Registration information requested included: date, pattern, and complete quiltmaker and ownership history, including a photographic record. Records reveal that a large number of our participants were seeking assistance to identify the name and date of their quilts rather than providing us with background information; thus some quilts may have little information while others include complete stories. Further, we have entered all information as given to us by the owner. Trained IQRP Board members assisted by local volunteers completed physical analysis on 30% of these quilts during the actual quilt days. This included dimensions, material analysis, construction techniques and condition. Registration continues today with over 3,000 additional records collected since 1994.

The Illinois Quilt Research Project reorganized in August 2001 to continue the work previously accomplished locating and registering Illinois quilts, quiltmakers, and quilting traditions and to create a permanent computerized research archive of gathered documentation. Information for research is being made available to all except where confidentiality is relevant to the quilt owners and/or quiltmakers.

Forms to register your quilts today may be obtained by contacting the Early American Museum at P.O. Box 1040, Mahomet, IL 61853, by calling 217-586-2612, or by downloading the document in .pdf format here.