Studies have been done on contemporary non-traditional quilts in the larger quilting context in Alabama (Arnett et al., 2002; Callahan, 1987), Arizona (Hazard, 1993), Arkansas (Benberry, 2000), and Kentucky (Benberry, 1992). However, from my examination of the literature no intensive study had been done on contemporary, non-traditional African American quilts in Florida.

This study examined the quilts and quilting processes of three African American contemporary non-traditional women quilters in Florida. Although there are African American male quilters my focus was on women quilt artists. For this study I defined traditional quilts as those quilts that utilized long-established patterns, designs and exacting construction techniques and that were usually used as bed coverings. Contemporary non-traditional quilts were made within the last twenty-five years for artistic purposes, did not largely consist of established patterns, and were without a planned functional use. The study explored the meaning of quilting to the quilters and the overall implications for art education.

I began by exploring the general history of quilting and African American traditional quilting and ended with the more recent history of art quilts and African American art quilters. Participants were sought through a combination of online and mail-in surveys. The surveys or survey links were sent to Internet quilting groups, Florida quilting guilds, and quilt shops in an attempt to locate members of the African American quilting population in Florida. Of the quilters interested in participating in the study I selected three African American quilters based on their survey information that reflected the diversity in experience and quilting I sought. The quilters were from different areas of the state, represented different age ranges, and quilting techniques.

Quilters were videotaped and photographed as I interviewed and observed them. The report takes narrative form (Eisner, 1998) and addresses themes that arose during the study as well as the research questions.