In the beginning, these quilts of appliquéd blocks were often designed by the maker. In time, patterns by accomplished designers were used. Baltimore Album Quilts reflected the prosperous community of
Baltimore, the second largest city in the United States until the
American Civil War, as most were made not with scraps, but with new fabric. Improvements in fabric manufacture and dying provided new colors that were incorporated into the album designs. As the popularity of this quilt style grew, women far beyond Baltimore began making these album quilts. Most Baltimore Album quilts were signed. The discovery of an indelible ink made it possible to ink flowery poetry and sayings along with a signature on each block. It appears making these quilts were especially popular with young women. Many included blocks each made by a different person. The complexity of the designs of the blocks demonstrated the skill and taste of the maker. Many hours were devoted to the creation of each of these quilts, and many were carefully preserved as family heirlooms. The largest collection of Baltimore Album quilts can be found at the
Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore's historic
Mt. Vernon neighborhood. There, over 10,750 textiles including the quilts, are preserved with other samplers and embroideries.
Dena Katzenberg, textile curator at the
Baltimore Museum of Art, organized an exhibition of Baltimore Album quilt coverlets at the American Wing of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1981. ==Selected works==