First Unitarian Church of Omaha
Antique Quilt

In 1898 First Unitarian Church of Omaha, then located at 17th & Cass Streets, was in a financial struggle.  The Ladies of Unity Circle #1 undertook to sell subscription quilt blocks to local businesses to be featured on what was often called a commerce quilt. Names, addresses and in a few cases phone numbers, were embroidered on white muslin blocks and set with Turkey red corners in the traditional “Snowball” quilt pattern. For a long time only the top remained as one of the few artifacts of the church to have survived from the time before 1900.  It has recently been removed from storage, professionally conserved and returned to quilt condition. On December 8, 2013, the church will make a gift of the quilt to the permanent collection of the International Quilt Study Center & Museum at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.

2011 American Folk Art Museum Quilt Show

Redwork quilts became popular between 1885 and 1925 and are currently enjoying a revival at the turn of the 21st century. They consisted of outline-embroidered images, usually square, and were stitched with colorfast Turkey red cotton floss onto muslin squares or household linens. Embroidery motifs were marketed for quilt blocks, but also for other home linens such as pillowcases, tidies, and splashers.

International Quilt Study Center & Museum at the University of Nebraska Lincoln