This exceptional African American workwear quilt is constructed from a rich assemblage of early 20th-century utilitarian textiles, including striped and checked shirtings, plaids, chambrays, and heavier work fabrics. Pieced from worn garments and household cloth, the composition reflects a resourceful and deeply personal approach to textile reuse, where material scarcity gave rise to striking visual complexity.
The quilt’s surface is organized into an irregular patchwork of rectilinear and subtly angled blocks, creating a rhythm that feels intuitive rather than formally planned. Variations in scale, weave, and pattern generate a dynamic field of muted blues, browns, reds, grays, and soft neutrals. The hand stitching remains visible throughout, emphasizing the quilt’s functional origins and the labor embedded in its making.
A wide printed red border anchors the composition, its scrolling paisley and floral motifs providing a decorative counterpoint to the utilitarian fabrics within. The reverse reveals additional layers of worn cloth, further attesting to the quilt’s history of use and repair.
Quilts of this type were often made within African American communities for warmth and necessity, yet they also stand today as powerful expressions of improvisation, memory, and material intelligence. This example embodies the quiet sophistication of workwear quilts, where everyday textiles are transformed into objects of enduring visual and cultural resonance.
Good condition with some small holes
Size: 5'5" x 6'9" [165cm x 206cm]
Age: early 20th century
Origin: United States
Type of Textile: Quilt
Material: Assorted fabric, including calico and work wear cloth fragments
Condition: Very Good, some small holes
TX646
Check out our Textile and North American Craft collections!
