Baltimore signature album quilt top

Thirty-six women made this quilt top, each contributing a unique square, which she signed. Signature album quilts were a collective form of remembrance—a record of the names, kind sentiments, and sewing skills of a group of friends. Such quilts became popular in the 1840s, a period of national expansion when many people, moving westward, desired a material reminder of the communities they left behind. Album quilts were especially popular in Baltimore, where the Methodist Church had a strong presence. Methodist ministers had to move to a different congregation every year, and on their arrival or departure they often received an album quilt from the congregation. This quilt top was not completed with a backing, so it likely was never presented to the intended recipient.