American Folklife Center collections from New Hampshire document the diversity of its expressive culture. Its unique collections span folk music from the 1930s to contemporary Veterans oral histories.

Land's End All-American Quilt Collection

Q: How long have you been making quilts?

A: Since I was in grade school. My mother was determined to see that I could sew and cook, after she had been through the Depression and saw many families suffer because the women couldn't sew or cook. I taught my daughter the same.

The Lands' End collection provides a unique window into late-twentieth century quiltmaking. This online presentation documents the 181 state and national winners of contests sponsored by the company in 1992, 1994, and 1996, and reflects a sampling of excellent design and technical skill characteristic of prizewinning quilts during this period. This collection includes a large number of quilt images from across the country and statements provided by the makers in surveys about their quilts. The Lands' End contest winners represent a wide range of quiltmaking activity, from highly traditional to innovative. Numerous types and styles of needlework, quilting, piecework, applique, and embroidery are represented.

Additional Collections of Interest

The following materials link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to digital content are provided when available.