Library of Congress New Archive for Quilters' S.O.S- Save Our Stories

April 16, 2007

Asheville, North Carolina, April 16, 2007 –The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. will be the new permanent archive for Quilters' S.O.S. – Save Our Stories , a project of The Alliance for American Quilts. Nearly 600 quiltmakers, from the dabbler to the professional, have been interviewed as part of this oral history project. All of the transcribed interviews with photographs of the quilts can be accessed at the Center for the Quilt Online (www.centerforthequilt.org). These inspirational interviews help quiltmakers, collectors, historians, students and others see and appreciate the incredible artistry and diversity of today's quiltmakers and their quilts.

The Center for Material Culture Studies at the University of Delaware partnered with The Alliance for American Quilts in the creation and implementation of Quilters' S.O.S. - Save Our Stories. "We truly appreciate the years of support that the Center at the University of Delaware has given the project," says Karen Musgrave, Alliance board member and chairperson of the project.

The new procedures for submitting interviews can be found on the Quilters' S.O.S. – Save Our Stories section of The Alliance's website (www.allianceforamericanquilts.org/qsos/). In addition to the extensive online resource of transcribed interviews of nearly 600 quiltmakers and photographs of their quilts, you will also find a downloadable how-to manual. Quilters' S.O.S. – Save Our Stories is always looking for individuals and groups to join this preservation effort.

The Alliance for American Quilts is a national nonprofit member organization, committed to preserving and sharing the rich stories that quilts tell about our nation's diverse people and communities. The Alliance's Center for the Quilt Online , www.centerforthequilt.org, offers a wealth of free resources related to quilts and quiltmakers.

For information on The Alliance for American Quilts,www.centerforthequilt.org, contact Amy Milne, Executive Director (amy.milne@yahoo.com or 828-251-7073 Mon-Fri 9-5 Eastern). For more information on Quilters' S.O.S. - Save Our Stories contact Karen Musgrave (karenmusgrave@sbcglobal.net or 630.579.1024).

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