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People have always depended on furs, fibers, and fabrics for protection and warmth, but these materials also served as a way to enrich their environment. Until the rail lines opened up routes to the South Carolina backcountry in the middle of the nineteenth century, residents had little access to imported goods. In the mountains and foothills, Scots-Irish immigrants brought a strong tradition of flax harvesting and linen production. In other parts of the rural south, plantations provided another source of homespun textiles. Textiles, especially quilts, can serve several functions. Quilts carry powerful emotional significance and many were made to show off fine fabrics and fancy needlework; others were composed of scraps and remnants. Whether using imported fabrics, domestically produced fibers, or material scraps from the family farm, quilts are intimately connected to the maker’s social and economic environment.

Content is provided by McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina.

For further information about any of the artists featured on Digital Traditions, send your questions and comments to hallagan@mailbox.sc.edu.

Resource Type
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart, Part 1 - How They Began Quilting | Digital Traditions - Episode 1 Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart
Episode 4
Ruby and Estelle discuss Ruby's husband's Dresden Plate quilt and how beautiful this method of trimming a quilt is.
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart, Part 1 - How They Began Quilting | Digital Traditions - Episode 1 Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart
Episode 5
Ruby and Estelle discuss quilting becoming a lost art; however, people are coming back to it.
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart, Part 1 - How They Began Quilting | Digital Traditions - Episode 1 Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart
Episode 6
Ruby and Estelle discuss why they enjoy quilting, including how interesting it is to plan a quilt, to choose colors, and select a pattern, and how relaxing it is to quilt.
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart, Part 1 - How They Began Quilting | Digital Traditions - Episode 1 Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart
Episode 7
Ruby and Estelle discuss how interesting it is to see that you can create something with your hands. They discuss making the wedding ring quilt from scraps, how colorful they are, and that they last a...
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart, Part 1 - How They Began Quilting | Digital Traditions - Episode 1 Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart
Episode 8
Ruby and Estelle discuss quilting because they have more time now, and because it's a hobby, and quilting for profit, or to give to family. They also reflect on how quilts used to be made for warmth...
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart, Part 1 - How They Began Quilting | Digital Traditions - Episode 1 Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Ruby Richey & Estelle Rineheart
Episode 10
Ruby and Estelle discuss an afghan Rineheart is especially proud of, and using small scraps and making something out of it.
Louise Nesbit | Digital Traditions

Photo

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Louise Nesbit | Digital Traditions
Episode 1
Born in the Brookgreen section of Pawleys Island, Louise Nesbit learned the art of African-American strip quilting as a child from her grandmother, Bobbitt Ohree. Drawing from West African principles...
Nellie Mursier Photos | Digital Traditions

Photo

Grades

  • Higher Education
Nellie Mursier Photos | Digital Traditions
Episode 5
Quilter Quilter from McCormick, SC (McCormick County). Mursier's favorite pattern is a string square she named "String Albert." Mursier pays special attention to the size of the stitching in her...
Nellie Mursier

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Nellie Mursier
Episode 1
Quilter from McCormick, SC (McCormick County). Mursier's favorite pattern is a string square she named "String Albert." Mursier pays special attention to the size of the stitching in her quilts, so...
Nellie Mursier

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Nellie Mursier
Episode 2
Quilter from McCormick, SC (McCormick County). Mursier's favorite pattern is a string square she named "String Albert." Mursier pays special attention to the size of the stitching in her quilts, so...
Nellie Mursier

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Nellie Mursier
Episode 3
Quilter from McCormick, SC (McCormick County). Mursier's favorite pattern is a string square she named "String Albert." Mursier pays special attention to the size of the stitching in her quilts, so...
Nellie Mursier

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Nellie Mursier
Episode 4
Quilter from McCormick, SC (McCormick County). Mursier's favorite pattern is a string square she named "String Albert." Mursier pays special attention to the size of the stitching in her quilts, so...
Geneva Lena Loewe: Quilting Photo | Digital Traditions

Photo

Grades

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Geneva Lena Loewe: Quilting Photo | Digital Traditions
A master at her craft, Geneva Loewe made quilts for over 50 years. She learned to sew pieced and appliqued quilts from her maternal grandmother, Mary Porcher, who also practiced midwifery in the...
Audrey Liddle: Quilting Photo | Digital Traditions

Photo

Grades

  • Higher Education
Audrey Liddle: Quilting Photo | Digital Traditions
Quilting Ms. Audrey Liddle is a shop owner and quilter in Lexington County. She learned the art of making quilts from her grandmother in Pennsylvania. She started when she was just six years old and...
Kathy Houser: Dollmaking Photo | Digital Traditions

Photo

Grades

  • Higher Education
Kathy Houser: Dollmaking Photo | Digital Traditions
Dollmaking Ms. Kathy Houser has several unique talents including making art dolls, puppets, quilts, and sculpting figures. She has been practicing this art since 2005 and teaching it to others since...
Rebecca Hill Photos | Digital Traditions

Photo

Grades

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Rebecca Hill Photos | Digital Traditions
Resident of Promised Land, SC (Greenwood County). Learned how to quilt and make lye soap from her mother. Her father could make just about any type of split-oak basket: fish trap, clothes hamper...
Curing Meat | Digital Traditions Corduroy Quilt -1 | Digital Traditions

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Corduroy Quilt -1 | Digital Traditions
Resident of Promised Land, SC (Greenwood County). Learned how to quilt and make lye soap from her mother. Her father could make just about any type of split-oak basket: fish trap, clothes hamper...
Curing Meat | Digital Traditions Quilting -1 | Digital Traditions

Audio

Grades

  • 3
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Quilting -1 | Digital Traditions
Resident of Promised Land, SC (Greenwood County). Learned how to quilt and make lye soap from her mother. Her father could make just about any type of split-oak basket: fish trap, clothes hamper...
Cabinetmaking | Digital Traditions - Episode 4 Differences | Digital Traditions

Audio

Grades

  • 3
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Differences | Digital Traditions
Episode 2
Beachy-Amish Mennonites who live in Cold Springs, S.C. (Abbeville County). Sadie is an accomplished quilter. How the Beachy-Amish Mennonites differ from the mainstream Amish.
Cabinetmaking | Digital Traditions - Episode 4 Finding a Place to Live | Digital Traditions

Audio

Grades

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Finding a Place to Live | Digital Traditions
Episode 3
Beachy-Amish Mennonites who live in Cold Springs, S.C. (Abbeville County). Sadie is an accomplished quilter. Why they left Virginia Beach after they felt it was becoming overdeveloped and the...
Finding a Place to Live | Digital Traditions - Episode 3 Cabinetmaking | Digital Traditions

Audio

Grades

  • Higher Education
Cabinetmaking | Digital Traditions
Episode 4
Beachy-Amish Mennonites who live in Cold Springs, S.C. (Abbeville County). Sadie is an accomplished quilter.