Quilting with the Kardashians

Social media is a buzz with red and white quilts this week. From The New York Times reporting that Ken Burns is an avid quilt collector against the backdrop of his favorite antique quilt to the Kardashians joining Calvin Klein’s #MYCALVINS campaign sprawled out on a gorgeous collection of red and white quilts. Red and white quilts are everywhere!

If you took a double take when checking out the Kardashian quilts, you’re not alone. Seeing the big bold blocks of Turkey red and white had us questioning, “are those Kardashians laying on one of Linda Pumphrey’s red and white quilts?”

In her book Red & White Quilting, Linda shares this iconic quilting tradition that includes fascinating historical information, 40 traditional blocks, and 14 stunning projects. Any of her quilts could be mistaken for one of those that appear in the ad campaign as they are based on classic designs.

However, according to Lili Göksenin at GQStyle, Calvin Klein’s Creative Director Raf Simons and his team sourced these quilts and those for the store “from all over the country, through auctions, private collections, and antique shows like Brimfield.” From the peeks we see of the quilts round the Kardashians, it appears some of the traditional blocks used in the quilts might have been Our Village Green, Drunkard’s Path, and Hourglass. They’re timeless blocks that look as modern today as they did over a century ago when they were designed.

It’s exciting to see such a classic American quilting tradition taking center stage in more ways than one. If you’d like to make your own red and white quilt, download or order your copy today! It’s the only book where you’ll find all the techniques to bring this bit of Americana into your home.

-Kerry Bogert
Editorial Director, Books