Homage to Baltimore: A Quilting Exhibition

Quilting has always been…stitched… into Baltimore’s story. From practical bedcovers to decorative works of art, quilts reveal connections to global textile and dye trades while grounding themselves in the city’s working-class traditions. Baltimore’s most famous contribution to this legacy is the Baltimore Album Quilt, a mid-19th-century style known for its elaborate appliqué blocks—floral motifs, patriotic emblems, and personal dedications—combined into one-of-a-kind community heirlooms.

In 1981, Mayor William Donald Schaefer celebrated this tradition with a citywide quilt competition that drew makers from across Maryland. Exhibits at City Hall and the Baltimore Museum of Art showcased the artistry of local quilters, with a $1,500 grand prize going to a striking black, white, and gold geometric design inspired by the city’s iconic marble stoops. The winning quilt with the marble step design captured Baltimore’s rowhouse traditions, while dozens of other prizewinners reflected the breadth of Maryland quilting—many of which can now be seen at https://www.homagetobaltimorequiltingcompetition.com/

Among the participants was Mimi Dietrich, whose quilt from the event now resides in the Maryland Center for History and Culture. This history is now being carried forward 45 years later. With quilting communities still active across Baltimore—from guilds to classrooms to living rooms to community workshops—the revival builds on a strong foundation.