TEXTILE COLLECTIONS:

The Latimer Center's collection includes quilts from the mid-nineteenth century to the present, quilt blocks, quilt templates and fabric samples. There are also clothing, handwoven coverlets, looms, spinning wheels and other quilting and weaving textile tools and implements.

The Daphne Collection is an assemblage of crochet typical of the 1930s and 1940s. The Marjorie Green Collection contains samples of handwoven textiles and reference material from the 1950s and 1960s by an accomplished weaver/designer/colorist. The Hickman Collection includes handwoven samples with drafts originally prepared by Wallace Hickman during the 1950s and 1960s.

The Center is developing a focus for its collection around indigo. Indigo is a natural dye, in use since ancient times, that has an affinity for both cotton and wool. It has been and still is used to dye fabrics for quilts and handwoven coverlets. Thus, indigo brings both elements of the Center together. Our collecting efforts are now directed toward acquiring indigo dyed quilts, coverlets and clothing.

LIBRARY COLLECTION (for use on site only):

The library contains books, many rare and out of print, a quilt pattern collection, a collection of newspaper needlework clippings, and a collection of pamphlets and magazines. While quilting, handweaving and spinning are emphasized, there are also numerous works on tailoring, knitting, crocheting, tatting, embroidery of various types, basketry and other more esoteric uses of fiber as an expressive medium.

RECENT ACQUISITIONS:

"COTTON BOLL" made by Anna L. Brown for her grand-son, Forrest Brown - Valdosta, Texas - 1908 - gift of Barbara E. Barber from the estate of Forrest Brown.

"Maple Leaf" - Calico made by Lydia Coppock - circa 1932 (Eastern Ohio) - gift of Mary Lu Wilson.

Red and Green quilt - circa 1890 - gift of DeLoris Stude.