With deep appreciation for making the exhibition, catalog, and World Quilts web module possible, we thank: The Robert and Ardis James Foundation, FRIENDS of the IQM, Dr. Charles and Cynthia Gibson, the Creta Warner Filley Memorial Fund, and the Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment. The project also benefited from the support of the College of Education and Human Sciences, Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design, and the IQM leadership.

The International Quilt Museum developed World Quilts to share its premiere collection and hallmark scholarly perspective on the significance of quilts and quiltmaking with the world. It also moves existing quilt studies scholarship beyond disciplinary boundaries to integrate quilts within a broader art and humanities context. The Central Asian Story is the third component of World Quilts, with future modules slated to cover other geographic and topical areas. With more than 5,000 quilts—too many to show in any physical gallery—the IQM values sharing its quilts and their historical and cultural context online.

The Central Asian Story, created to complement the 2017 physical exhibition at Quilt House, Sacred Scraps: Quilt and Patchwork Traditions of Central Asia explores the range of expression and meaning that quilting and patchwork take on in this part of the world. Curated by Christine Martens, The Central Asian Story draws on research she conducted for the exhibition and accompanying catalog.

The IQM is the the world’s largest publicly held quilt collection. Established in 1997, the IQM opened a new museum in Lincoln, Neb., in 2008. The museum’s mission is to build a global collection and audience that celebrate the cultural and artistic significance of quilts.