About

Quilting has always been…stitched… into Baltimore’s story. From practical bedcovers to decorative works of art, quilts reveal connections to global textile and dye trades while grounding themselves in the city’s working-class traditions. Baltimore’s most famous contribution to this legacy is the Baltimore Album Quilt, a mid-19th-century style known for its elaborate appliqué blocks—floral motifs, patriotic emblems, and personal dedications—combined into one-of-a-kind community heirlooms.

In 1981, Mayor William Donald Schaefer celebrated this tradition with a citywide quilt competition that drew makers from across Maryland. Exhibits at City Hall and the Baltimore Museum of Art showcased the artistry of local quilters, with a $1,500 grand prize going to a striking black, white, and gold geometric design inspired by the city’s iconic marble stoops. The winning quilt captured the essence of Baltimore’s rowhouse traditions, while dozens of other prizewinners reflected the breadth of Maryland quilting—many of which can now be seen on this website. Among the participants was Mimi Dietrich, whose quilt from the event now resides in the Maryland Center for History and Culture.

In summer 2025, UMBC professor Sarah Fouts partnered with Dietrich, MICA textile artist Monique Crabb, and Baltimore Heritage through a CO-Lab course that traced this legacy forward. Students researched an 1846 Stansbury family Baltimore Album Quilt and produced a Five-Minute History Baltimore Heritage video about Album Quilts. They also visited City Hall to view the 1981 winning quilts before they were moved into storage at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum.

This history is now being carried forward 45 years later. With quilting communities still active across Baltimore—from guilds to classrooms to living rooms to community workshops—the revival builds on a strong foundation.

Thanks to the support of Mayor Brandon Scott’s Office and the Maryland State Arts Council’s Maryland Folklife Network, the new competition will culminate in a major exhibition in June 2026, with plans for additional showcases in the years ahead.