The “Slice of Cheddar” exhibit affords the opportunity to showcase some of the bold and colorful quilts of the nineteenth century.   The exhibit is all about color with a focus on the use of “cheddar.”  You will find cheddar fabric used in a bold fashion or perhaps as a simple accent.

During the nineteenth century the color “cheddar” was referred to as “chrome orange” or “antimony.”  Antimony was a store bought powder used to dye fabric in the home.  “Cheddar” is the color name used beginning in the twentieth century.

Cheddar was a welcomed addition to the existing color pallet.   It was used by the Pennsylvania German Quiltmakers to create some breathtaking quilts.  The Pennsylvania Germans loved color, which is reflected in their folk art and quilts.  The bright color of cheddar was used in quilts as a background fabric as well as accent pieces.  The bold, bright and sometimes unusual choices of colors are distinctly their own during this time period.

Many examples of cheddar choices will be displayed in the exhibit.   The love of color and quilting set before you by our ancestors has become the focus and passion of our quilt collection.  Retrieving knowledge to secure the heritage of antique quilts has become our prime objective.  It is our hope to preserve the history of those individuals that walked before us creating these wonderful examples of the past.  Please join us on this journey through the exhibit “A Slice of Cheddar.”

We would like to thank the Vermont Quilt Festival Board of Directors and all the staff for the guidance and warm welcome we have received.   We are grateful for the opportunity to share these quilts from our collection.   The next time you need a special color for your choice of fabric…consider the color “cheddar.