PA German Textile Project
The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, Mennonite Heritage Center, and Goschenhoppen Historians were awarded a generous grant by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) in their Cataloging Hidden Special Collections program. The funding was awarded to produce digital catalogs of our Pennsylvania German textiles. These textiles are indeed special hidden collections that range from intricate pieced quilts and embroidered samplers to homespun linen feed bags and petticoats.
The three catalogs can be searched here:
Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center catalog
Mennonite Heritage Center catalog
Goschenhoppen Historians catalog
The glossary of Pennsylvania German textile terms will aid in learning about the textiles.
Thank you to project cataloger Caitlin Harvey who worked for almost two years to photograph and document these distinctive examples of the Pennsylvania German material culture. Thank you also to Alan Keyser, Pennsylvania German historian, and Linda Eaton, Winterthur Director of Museum Collections, who served as project consultants.