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Appalachian Quilt Project Cassette Tapes

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-1981-097

Scope and Content

The collection consists of recorded interviews with forty-three quilt makers, most of whom were women, in Floyd and Washington counties, Virginia, as part of the Appalachian Quilt Project at Virginia Tech. These interviews were conducted by Susan Davis, a graduate student at Virginia Tech, in 1978 and 1979. Each interview follows a very similar format, as Davis asked interviewees to answer biographical questions before she asked them about their respective experiences with quilting. Transcripts are available.

Dates

  • 1978 - 1979

Creator

Language of Materials

The materials in the collection are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Biographical / Historical

The Appalachian Quilt Project was an oral history project conducted to interview quilters in Floyd County and Washington County, Southwest Virginia in the late 1970s. A graduate student in the Department of Clothing, Textiles, and Related Arts at Virginia Tech, Susan L. Davis (b.1952) conducted the interviews for her M.S. thesis, Appalachian Quilts of Floyd County, Virginia, which was published by Virginia Tech in 1980. Davis's masters thesis has been digitized and can be found here: Susan L. Davis, "Appalachian quilts of Floyd County, Virginia," Virginia Tech Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 1980, https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/items/031e4956-2cda-4363-b7d7-1dbfec774a78/,.

Extent

0.8 Cubic Feet (4 boxes)

Abstract

Oral history project conducted by Susan Davis, who was a graduate student in the Department of Clothing, Textiles, and Related Arts at Virginia Tech. Collection consists of recorded interviews with forty-three quilt makers in Floyd and Washington counties, Virginia, about their lives and their experiences with quilt making. Transcripts for this collection are available.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into four boxes. Box one contains folders that are arranged by subject. Within each folder are two separate transcripts of interviews with two separate individuals, one from Floyd County, Virginia, and one from Washington County, Virginia, who are referred to as the same subject number. Susan Davis interviewed the Washington County, Virginia, subjects in 1978 and she interviewed the Floyd County subjects in 1979. Box two contains duplicate transcripts for the Floyd County subjects. Box three contains the cassette tapes for oral history interviews with Floyd County subjects. Box four contains the cassette tapes for oral history interviews with Washington County subjects.

Technical Access

Special Collections and University Archives has audio equipment to access the cassette tapes.

Source of Acquisition

The collection was acquired by Special Collections and University Archives prior to 1982.

Related Materials

Virginia Tech Special Collections and University Archives holds Susan L. Davis' 1980 M.S. thesis, Appalachian quilts of Floyd County, Virginia (call number LD5655.V855 1980.D396 Spec VT) in the Rare Book Collection.

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Appalachian Quilt Project Cassette Tapes by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).

Title
Appalachian Quilt Project Cassette Tapes, 1978-1979
Status
In Progress
Author
Special Collections and University Archives Staff Zoe Brooks, Graduate Assistant
Date
2014 (CC0 1.0)
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Revision Statements

  • 2020-08-05: Finding aid notes updated to new department standards. juliags
  • 2021-02-22: LM Rozema added missing notes for an unprocessed collection, added FA title and filing titles, added FA date from EAD, and added component with instances previously attached to collection level.
  • 2023-10-05: LM Rozema added Susan L. Davis as agent and to admin history note. Also added related note.
  • 2025-10-07: Zoe Brooks updated the finding aid notes, added the separate boxes and their contents from the collection to the finding aid, and finished processing the collection. Also added oral history as a subject.

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository

Contact:
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308