FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 6, 2016
Contact: Susan Strano, Marketing Director
sstrano@benningtonmuseum.org or 802-447-1571 ext. 204
Image: Stickle Quilt (detail)
Jane Stickle Quilt on Display at the Bennington Museum
From September 3 through October 10 the quilt that inspires quilters all over the world will be on its yearly display at the Bennington Museum. Brought to the museum 60 years ago, the Jane Stickle Quilt is only shown for a short time each year due to the fragility of the fabric; Quilters from around the country and world plan trips during that time to see the 1863 quilt. The Jane Stickle quilt is comprised of 169 five-inch blocks, each in different patterns, containing a remarkable total of 5,602 pieces surrounded by a unique scalloped border. The craftsmanship of the quilt has been mentioned in numerous quilting books, and is the topic of Dear Jane, The Two Hundred Twenty-Five Patterns from the 1863 Jane A. Stickle Quilt, by Brenda Papadakis.
Jane Stickle was born Jane Blakely on April 8, 1817 in Shaftsbury, Vermont. Married to Walter Stickle sometime before 1850, they did not have a family of their own. They did, however, take responsibility for at least three other children in the area. In an 1860’s census, Jane Stickle was listed as a 43 year-old farmer living alone. She eventually reunited with her husband, but during that time alone, she lovingly created what is now known as the Jane Stickle Quilt. As a reminder of the turbulent times the country was going through, she carefully embroidered “In War Time 1863” into the quilt.
RELATED EVENTS:
September 24, 3 p.m. – Lynne Bassett: “Herstory” in Civil War Quilts
Looking at the Civil War through textiles allows us to understand the experience of the war in different terms than the usual analysis of battle strategy and heralding of military heroes. Quilts in particular, with their implicit and explicit messages, offer the opportunity to examine the experiences of civilians—especially women―on the homefront. This lecture by Quilt Historian Lynne Bassett focuses on the quilts that women created to declare their patriotism and support their fighting menfolk. Included is a discussion on the 1863 Jane Stickle Quilt. $5 for members, $7 for not-yet-members. Does not include general admission to the galleries.
The Jane Stickle Quilt can be viewed with regular museum admission. The Bennington Museum, located at 75 Main Street (Route 9) in Bennington. The museum is just a short ride from Manchester, Williamstown, and eastern New York, and is open every day through October. Regular admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and students over 18. Admission is never charged for younger students or to visit the museum shop. Visit the museum’s website www.benningtonmuseum.org or call 802-447-1571 for more information.