Woonsocket Radio News Room

Valley Talks Continues in the Month of Francophonie with Presentation on French-Canadian Quilts

 

(WOONSOCKET, R.I.) – Valley Talks, a series of biweekly historical lectures presented by the Museum of Work & Culture, continues on Sunday, March 3, at 1:30 p.m. with a virtual presentation by University of Rhode Island Professor Linda Welters exploring the quilting culture of French Canadians in Rhode Island.

Welter’s presentation will be drawn from a book co-edited with Margaret Ordoñez, Down by the Old Mill Stream: Quilts in Rhode Island, and exhibitions of French-Canadian quilts Welters and Ordoñez co-curated. Quilts made by French Canadians in Rhode Island will be featured.

This talk will be presented virtually on Zoom. Admission is free, but registration is required. Guests can register online at rihs.simpletix.com.

Linda Welters is a Professor of Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design at the University ofRhode Island where she teaches courses in the history of fashion. She also is the Director of the University’s Historic Textile and Costume Collection. Her research interests encompass Greek folk dress, archaeological textiles, American quilts, American fashion, and decolonizing fashion history. Recent book-length publications include Fashion History: A Global View (2018) with Abby Lillethun and The Fashion Reader 3rd edition (2022) with Abby Lillethun. She is editor for the series Textiles that Changed the World (Bloomsbury). She is a graduate of St. Catherine University (BA), Colorado State University (MA), and the University of Minnesota (PhD).

 

Other Valley Talks will include:

March 23: Join Paul Bourget as he takes a closer look at “America’s Sistine Chapel,” St. Ann’s Church in Woonsocket, and explores its artistry, history, and community.

 

The Museum’s 2025 Valley Talks series is presented by the Museum of Work & Culture Preservation Foundation and the RI AFL-CIO.

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