Follow Us as We Explore Chinese Patchwork

Chinese Patchwork image credit: Xi'an Jiaotong University Art Museum

We take our mission seriously at the International Quilt Study Center & Museum.

As the world’s largest collection of publicly-owned quilts, our mission is to inspire an understanding of the cultural and artistic significance of quilts by collecting, preserving, studying, exhibiting and promoting discovery of quilts and quiltmaking traditions from many cultures, countries and time periods.

This May, we will support that mission by sending a team of four researchers and scholars to Xi’an, China. One of the oldest cities in China, Xi’an is the capital of Shaanxi Province.

While in Xi’an, our team will have the opportunity to conduct research and fieldwork to learn more about local patchwork and quilting traditions. Team members will also present a series of lectures on American folk art – specifically patchwork and quilts – at Xi’an Jiaotong University through the University of Nebraska’s new American Exchange Center.  Read more about the project here.

Our team members include Patricia Crews, IQSCM director; Marin Hanson, IQSCM curator of exhibitions; Cindy DeLong, graduate student; and Amanda Lensch, graduate student. You can read more about the team here.

The team leaves May 8, and we want to share our experience with you on this blog. In the weeks leading up to our trip, we will share some background information about this project along with some of our goals. While in China, team members will post regular updates sharing their experiences as they are happening.

This project is made possible by support from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Education and Human Sciences International Seed Grant and the University of Nebraska’s American Exchange Center.

We are excited about the adventures that await us and are thrilled to share them with you.