Intimacy in Every Stitch: The Craft and Legacy of Quilts

Gallery One

April 25 - August 30

Quilts have long served as both functional bedding and deeply personal works of art - objects meant to be touched, wrapped around loved ones and passed down through generations. Our exhibit conveys the intimate relationships between maker, material and user, celebrating the quiet labor of hand quilting and the humble tools - needles, thimbles, thread and scissors - that brought each piece to life.

To quilt by hand is to sit close with fabric for hours, even weeks, shaping each stitch with care and intention. The result is not only a beautiful object, but a record of time, memory and connection. As we mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, this exhibit traces the evolution of American quilts - from the elegant whole-cloth pieces favored in the colonial period to the pieced patterns that flourished with the rise of industry in the 1800s and the 1900s.

Each quilt in this exhibition offers a tactile glimpse into the domestic creativity, resourcefulness, and emotional depth of its maker - reflecting the quiet but powerful stories of lives lived, and stitched intimately, into the fabric of American history.

ArtifactLAB

On the second floor of the Red Mill

The ArtifactLAB is a collaborative workspace and community playspace where visitors can learn what goes on behind the scenes at a museum! Located on the second floor of the Red Mill, this project is a collaboration between the Red Mill Museum Village and the Collectors of Rare and Familiar Tools of New Jersey (CRAFTS of NJ).

CRAFTS of NJ is a non-profit organization created with the purpose of encouraging interest in early trades and industries and fostering the identification, study, preservation and exhibition of early tools and implements. Their members include many of the most knowledgeable individuals in the tool fraternity who will be generously volunteering their time to help identify the thousands of tools in the Red Mill Museum Village collection. Each of these tools being inventoried and put on display help tell the story of the skills and innovations that helped to craft the nation.

The public is invited into this space to get a behind-the-scenes view of how and why museum professionals clean, document and catalog museum collections. On the days that there are no CRAFTS or RMMV members working in the ArtifactLAB, there will still be opportunities for interaction and learning. Tools from the museum's collection will be displayed in visible storage (a concept of providing access to items normally stored out of sight). There are also physical and digital games to give children of all ages the opportunity to learn about sorting, classifying and working with tools in interactive and entertaining formats.

The ArtifactLAB is included with museum admission (which is free for members).

Learn more about CRAFTS of NJ

Wall of Heroes

The Wall of Heroes is a crowd-sourced history project highlighting heroes who have served our country in any branch of the military in any time period. This project was created as part of The Red Mill Museum's Salute to Service where it can be seen in person annually. It also can be viewed year-round online in the digital exhibit.

Enjoy Online Submit Your Hero

Mill to Mill Peace Flag Project

The Hunterdon Art Museum and the Red Mill Museum Village are proud to announce Mill to Mill, a collaborative initiative celebrating traditional and contemporary craft practices in recognition of the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026. Community members have been invited to create peace flags at museum-sponsored events and workshops or on their own.

Nearly 1,200 answered the call and expressed their visions of peace through creative self-expression. As the flags weather in the elements, their hopes, reflections and aspirations will be carried outward, while the permanent digital exhibit preserves the stories behind each creation in the makers' own words.

Visit our Digital Exhibit