AMESBURY — The season for finding ways to keep warm may be over, but Crafters Quarters is still focused on the warmth of quilts.
Jennifer Rogers, owner of Crafters Quarters, has invited members of the nonprofit Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project to Amesbury to educate locals on the quality and history of their quilts.
"The group is tracking something that used to be hidden in a closet, and now they are learning about women who quilted and the types of textiles that were used. It's just so interesting," Rogers said.
Rogers is hosting two members of the project at her crafting space Saturday, April 18, to document quilts, quilt tops, quilt blocks, quilted clothing and unfinished pieces made before 1951. Volunteers will measure, photograph and examine each quilt. Each piece presented must have been crafted in Massachusetts or currently be owned in state.
The project, affiliated with the New England Quilt Museum, has a home in Lowell. After experiencing the program, Rogers wanted to offer a local version.
"I'm very excited to see what sort of quilt will come out of local closets," she said.
Since the nonprofit was established more than a decade ago, the project has documented about 6,000 quilts. The group recently published "Massachusetts Quilts, Our Common Wealth," a documentation of more than 320 Massachusetts quilts.
An avid quilter and crafter herself, Rogers believes the project will help people recognize the important history of quilting in the United States.
"This is a part of history that wasn't written because the women were in the background of their homes before the 1950s," she said. "It's a tie that binds; learning from these quilts stuffed away in a box or closet can help you learn about what was happening in our history."
In the past, Rogers had five of her quilts documented by the project; each quilt had an interesting history. One quilt, made by her grandmother, dated before the 1950s, was dear to Rogers. After evaluation, she learned it was made from a kit that was very popular in the 1900s.
"Owning my own quilting and creative crafting business, it really brought everything full circle for me," Rogers said of having her grandmother's quilt evaluated.
If you go:
When: Saturday, April 18
Where: Crafters Quarters 36 Main St., Amesbury.
How: An appointment is needed for each quilt review; to set an appointment call Crafters Quarters at 978-388-8000.
How much: A $15 fee per quilt is requested to help defray cost of documentation materials.
More information: www.craftersquarters.com.
Quilt owners receive: A copy of the documentation report including an approximate date, description of the fabrics, construction and patterns, photograph of the quilt, label to signify the quilt's part in the documentation project and quilt care instructions.
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