Alex Duceucoublier
Nestled in Carrollton’s downtown district lies a museum that showcases pieces of history, while teaching the next line of quilt makers.
The idea for the museum came about in the late 1990s, when members of The Georgia Quilt Project and The Georgia Quilt Council advocated for the creation of a new quilt and textile museum in the southeast.
Carrollton was eventually chosen in 2009 because of its proximity to Atlanta while maintaining a small-town atmosphere.
Founding members met with the commissioner at the time, who allowed the museum to use a portion of the historic cotton warehouse in Carrollton’s downtown area for the project.
The Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum formally opened its doors to the public on September 15, 2012.
Aside from displaying various quilts, the museum hosts classes for all levels of quilt makers. In addition to this, they have a yearly summer camp for kids older than nine years old. During this summer camp, kids can learn to use a sewing machine, how to hand sew, and learn the basics of quilting.
The museum is also host to a number of feature exhibits that change regularly. There are currently three different projects that are on display.
The first is Susan Lenz’s installation of The Cocoon, which is a large fiber installation that is meant to challenge viewers to make a plan about their families textile possessions through the use of previously discarded items such as vintage textiles, buttons, lace, doilies and household linens.
Next is another work of Susan Lenz, which is called The Clothesline Installation. This exhibit is described as a visual representation of taking care of a household, especially during the pandemic, as it was created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The last installation that is currently on display is the Bess Miller Memorial Exhibit, which features embroidery work by Bess Miller made from 1971-2009. This work will be displayed until October 28.
“Every year we add a few more quilts that we collect from all over the southeast, and it’s really important that we have unique quilts that have personal stories that come along with them,” said Amy Loch, the assistant director of the museum, when speaking about the museum’s collection. “We have a wide variety of styles and patterns, and our exhibits range widely, everything from contemporary art to traditional, and we change them out every three months.”
For just $5, those who are interested in quilts, or the art of quilt making can take a tour of the 1220 square feet of gallery space.
The Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum is located at 306 Bradley St., STE C, Carrollton, GA 30117, and is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.