A History of Antique Friendship and Signature Quilts 

Mariner's Compass friendship quilt from PA, with stamped names in the center of each compass, c1840.

Friendship Quilts, a different type of quilt

During the mid 1980’s when I was just a new quilter, my daughter and I attended a play titled “The Quilters,” at a community playhouse. The play was well done and I enjoyed it immensely, especially since my daughter, who was taking a college course in the Arts at the time and needed to attend a number of theater productions, had picked this play and invited me because of my new interest in quilts.

However, looking back, the highlight of our evening out, was not the play, but rather what I discovered during the intermission, when I went out to the lobby. In the lobby were large glass display cases on the walls, and one of the cases contained an exhibit of quilt related items. Hanging in this case was a small quilt with a top made up of squares of appliquéd floral designs. As I looked closely I could see that each square was signed with a different name, and that the signatures were those of the quilt makers who had made the quilt blocks. I then realized that a group of friends had pooled their talents and made quilt blocks, or the entire quilt, for the recipient or owner of the quilt. That was my first introduction to the genre of quilts called Album quilts, or Friendship quilts.

Even today, I can remember the sense of wonder I felt as I studied that quilt. The quilt itself was beautiful with each square a different design, but it was the signatures of the block makers, which made the quilt special. I felt that to own a quilt that so many women had worked on, would be a great privilege. That night was the beginning of a quest to learn as much as I could about these quilts.

A Mariner's Compass quilt, with signatures and dates from the 1840's. Inscriptions indicate several locations, including Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Bible verses are written on some of the blocks and several blocks contain prose. Blocks are made from a variety of Turkey Red prints, and overdyed green prints.

While researching these wonderful quilts I have grown to love these textile artifacts representing the friendships between women. Album quilts were not just quilts made for warmth and/or beauty, but rather they were, and are still today, made with love and affection with the primary purpose of expressing that sentiment to the recipient. They will forever display how the art of quilt making was used to create a tactile representation of that care and love.

 Since that evening at the theater, so many years ago, I have participated in many Friendship groups and been a part of the making of many Album quilts. As I have sought out vintage and antique quilts to study, I have been fortunate to add a few of these wonderful quilts to my quilt collection. They remain very special quilts to me, and although they display the names of women who lived long ago, Album quilts still speak of the love and friendship between the women who created them, and the honored recipients.

Close-up with a signed block dated 1844.

The inks used in this quilt have not damaged the fabrics, even though it seems several different inks were used.

History of Album Quilts

The term "Album Quilts" refers to quilts with inscribed, or signed, blocks. The terms "Friendship" and “Signature" quilts also describes quilts that contains signatures. Under these headings are several types of quilts, often made with different purposes. Sometimes this is easy to determine, but at other times it is not so apparent. Occasionally a quilt was made with more than one purpose, and so distinctions are hard to make. Quilt historians have separated these signature quilts into groups, distinguished by the occasion upon which the quilt was made. Sometimes these terms are used interchangeably.

Another close-up of a block dated 1847 from Enterprise PA. The maker of this block sends a prayer to the recipient.

The first of these Signature and Friendship Album quilts date back to the 1830's, and quilt historians feel they are associated with the autograph books or albums that were popular at the time. Girls and boys, as well as young men and women, owned small autograph books and liked to gather the signatures of friends and acquaintances. Often those signing the pages of these books included prose or artwork along with their signatures. During this period new ink formulas were being introduced, and it was believed that these new inks were less caustic to fabrics than those previously available, although that has not always proven true.

A selection of autograph album books from the 1800's.

An autograph book from Los Angeles, CA

While most Friendship quilts were made by and for women, we do find a sprinkling of men’s signatures on older quilts. Whether they simply penned their names to blocks presented for their signature or actually participated in the construction of the blocks can’t be ascertained after all these years. Therefore, while I speak of Friendship quilts as being made by women, men are a part of the history of these wonderful quilts.

A block from top of page showing stamped signature.

Close up of quilt at top of page.

This block was signed by a gentleman, an unusual occurrence, but not rare.

Quilt top with blocks of pinwheels and stars which were signed in the 1840's. Signatures are from both women and men.

One of the oldest traditions in quilt making is quilting with family or friends. Friendship quilts as we know them today are described as being made by three or more people. In the broadest sense this is true, but for the purpose of this article I will only speak of those quilts that contain the names or signatures of those quilt makers.

A Four Patch quilt is signed and dated 1841. This quilt was made by a six year old girl, and signed by her mother and grandmothers.

Perhaps the most popular reason to make an Album quilt was because a family member or friend was moving away from the area. The recipients were presented with a finished quilt, or perhaps a quilt top or a set of signature blocks, to take with them, made by their friends or family, as a remembrance of loved ones at home. This was at a time when traveling long distances was difficult, and many loved ones moved away and seldom or never returned home to see their families again.

Close-up of the four patch quilt showing great grandmother's signature.

This four patch block from the quilt has grandma's signature.

When someone in the community was to be honored, they might have been presented with a Presentation quilt. These Presentation quilts were made by the quilt recipients’ friends, or social acquaintances, and were presented to a prominent or popular figure.
A recipient might be a church pastor or his wife, a favorite school teacher, a doctor, or a respected social figure.

This Friendship quilt top, was made in a variation of the Mariners Compass pattern in the 1840's or 1850's. A wide assortment of Turkey Red prints from the time period make up the complicated pieced patterned blocks.

A close-up of one of the wonderful Turkey Red prints used in the quilt top.

Another Turkey Red print,

Bridal Friendship and Album quilts were given to brides upon marriage. Quilt blocks were made and gathered, then sewn into quilts, and presented to the bride. Or sometimes they were given to the marrying couple as a wedding gift, and may contain a presentation block with both their names. These Wedding quilts may have been made by friends and the members of both the bride’s and groom’s families. Occasionally the quilt was given to the Groom, the grooms family and friends, presenting him with his own token of remembrance.

When a young man reached his 21st birthday he might have been given a Freedom quilt. This was an important event to a young man, signifying he had reached his majority, and was ready to leave home and accept the responsibilities and privileges of an independent  man. His family and friends might have celebrated with him by making him a quilt.

Friendship quilts, were made with a special recipient in mind, while another type of Signature quilt, the Fundraising quilt, was made to raise funds. Often with antique quilts, the history of the quilt has been lost and we are not exactly sure what the purpose of making the quilt was, but generally speaking, we can determine if it was a Friendship quilt, or if it was a Fundraising quilt. Fundraising quilts were made to raise money for an organization or charity endeavor, most often a church. For a monetary contribution, your signature or name would be applied to the quilt, along with the names of other contributors. These quilts are recognizable by the dozens or even hundreds of signatures on the quilt. Often the signatures are the only design elements on the quilts.

There were many reasons for making a Friendship quilt, and I include the most obvious occasions here. Additionally, they have been made for the last 160 years, and surely there are reasons that are simply unknown to us now.

Friendship quilt from Pennsylvania, c1850. The same stamp was used for all the names on this quilt, many from the same family.

Close-up showing the name within the stamp.

The Making of a Friendship quilt

Album quilts were a community effort. Probably organized by one or two individuals who set up the guidelines for the pattern and quilt style, and who took responsibility for asking the recipients’ friends cooperation in making the blocks, and in gathering the finished blocks, and seeing to the completion of the quilt. Sometimes the recipient received a finished quilt and at other times received only the signed quilt top or a group of signed quilt blocks.

Gathered fabrics with the doner's name written on slips of paper. Evidently someone gathered the fabrics to make blocks but never finished the project.

Donated fabrics included a pieced star block made from the same fabric.

Usually a group of 20 to 30 or more people would make blocks and a few members of the group would put the blocks together with backing and batting and the quilt would then be quilted. If only a top or blocks were presented, the recipient’s friends often helped her with the sewing and quilting by gathering together for a social work day or two in order to complete the quilt.

A set of blocks made in the Hands All Around pattern with dates in the 1930's.

The patterns used for Album quilts are unlimited. Virtually any quilt pattern with a place to sign ones name could be used for an Album quilt. Some Album quilts are made with the same pattern throughout and are referred to as "single pattern" Album quilts. Other quilts are made up of a variety of pieced and/or appliquéd blocks, and these are called "sampler" Album quilts. Some of the most popular quilt patterns used in these quilts are Chimney Sweep and Snowflake (often called Album block). Sometimes an applique pattern was used, the Oak Leaf and Reel variations is an example. However, quiltmakers used any number of quilt patterns and one may see signatures on four or nine patch quilts, Basket quilts, Star quilts, Rolling Stone quilts, Birds in the Air quilts, Mariners Compass quilts, Dresden Plate quilts, and Sunbonnet Sue quilts. Occasionally Crazy quilts were used as Album quilts, and because of the plethora of fancy fabrics and embellishments, the signatures are almost unnoticed.

A Honeycomb or hexagon quilt with signatures at the center if each motif. c1850

A quilt top from the 1930's made in a daisy pattern. A nice variety of floral fabrics from the period make up the flowers.

Daisy block signed and dated 1934.

Some of the earlier Album quilts are the most elaborate, with a plethora of complex applique and/or pieced blocks and elaborate quilting. Popularly called Baltimore Album Quilts these quilts are some of the most unique and valuable quilts made in the 19th Century. Because the blocks themselves are so glorious the signatures are almost insignificant, until that is, one begins to look at the history or provenance of the quilt. Many of these quilts hold a treasure trove of information for the genealogist or quilt documentor.

The fabrics in Album quilts are dictionaries of the fabrics available to the quiltmaker at that particular time. Fabrics used in these quilts can be a fabric collectors dream, ranging from early 19th Century chintz and rainbow prints to silk velvets and ribbons in luscious colors. Quilters often provided their own fabrics when making these quilt blocks, and often used a fabric of special significance to them. For example, a quiltmaker might use a fabric that had been used to make a wedding dress, or a fabric used in a dress in the bride's trousseau. Occasionally, the organizer of the quilt would supply one or more of the fabrics, so the quilt would have a more unified look. We see this frequently in 20th Century quilts. Often only the quilt blocks were given to the recipient, and she would put the blocks together into a quilt, using her own fabrics for the other elements of the quilt. Other times she received a completed quilt top and supplied the backing fabric herself.

These are part of a large group of signed friendship blocks from the 1880's. The small rectangle of fabric in the center was given to dozens of people to sign before being sewn into the blocks.

Go to page 2/2-friendship-and-signature-quilts.html

Next page