Quilts from the Underground Railroad, Part 1

Eleanor Burns shares a story passed down through families about a link between slave-made quilts and the Underground Railroad. Slaves reportedly made coded quilts and then used them to navigate their escape.

[@JOLENE2008]

I am Native American from Wisconsin and I really loved the bear paw and Bear Valley that is really beautiful "hugs"🥰

[@wheelerpat8]

This is very interesting. I grew up in a house that was built in the 1870’s in MA and was part of the Underground Railroad. Under the big staircase that greeted you when you walked in, there was a hidden room and that is where the people would hide. My father crawled in there once and found a gun/rifle still leaning against the wall. Not sure what he did with it. I think he sold it. But out front, we had a large yard with a fence that was reportedly used for hanging these quilts to help people find their way to freedom.

[@theblondeone8426]

amazing

[@theblondeone8426]

some ppl are trying to say this is a myth but i dont believe that

[@christopherdensmore7583]

In a house built in the 1870s?

[@Cassandra1767]

@@christopherdensmore7583 yeah doesn’t seem right, maybe a typo?

[@lindsayschilling8707]

Fabulous! Moving on to Part 2. Thank you for narrating these episodes, Eleanor Burns. The knowledge and value of these quilts, and blocks, in American History are priceless.

[@MsTiLaJ]

Eleanor you are amazing! I love this series. Thank you so much for taking the time to tell the rich history behind slave quilts with such passion. We have a rich history full of good and bad moments but you've shared how people managed to go above their circumstance and reached freedom.

[@bobbiebb21]

Eleanor. 🙏🏽 bless you for this video. I just purchased your book on the Underground Railroad quilts. I have learned more from your presentation that I ever knew and I am a black woman. 🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@pauletteliddell2923]

Eleanor I love this too. I've made 2 quilts and will be finishing the 3rd one soon. I have most of the blocks made for the fourth. I made them for my kids and one for myself. Thanks again for sharing this.

[@LindaS9239]

I collect all of Eleanor’s books she is the greatest for quilting instructions.

[@user-tm6qc7wt6c]

In the late 1980’s I made my first quilt ( log cabin ) through Eleanor Burns instruction book “Quilt in a Day” I have been quilting ever since. Thank you

[@LisaDarabian]

My Great Grand Mother my Grandmother my Mother made these Quilts 😊

[@capricorngirl52405]

My hometown had several stations on the Underground Railroad. A lot of the older homes were in fact stations.

[@conniehusband1365]

I have enjoyed this video over and over again. Tremendous effort Eleanor and done in an informative historic manner. Hats off to you and your wonderful staff!

[@646arachne]

Made me cry as a Canadian quilter, and a Christian!

[@LindaS9239]

Eleanor looks great with that red shawl. She should wear more. I love it! Linda

[@Grandpa-potato]

Eleanor! I learned to quilt from your log cabin book around 20 years ago! So wonderful to learn this history.

[@beverleyhasler1521]

Love this story. Last year I made the Underground Railroad quilt as I was so fascinated when I read the story. Wonderful history. I’m from Sydney, Australia.

[@aprilbaxter2578]

Thank you Eleanor! You've given me information I didn't actually know. I will be looking to buy that book the next time I go to the bookstore. One again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[@pamfrank3962]

This is a wonderful informative documentary told with heart.❤

[@eleanorsmith9706]

Thanks It’s good to be reminded that there are good hearted white people that helped the slaves get their freedom.

[@tzchicsta]

😂 came here to learn about quilt code bc my family had some stories about using old clothes scraps and hidden cotton. You had to know how to sew and quickly to mend clothes.

[@crystallowery7127]

I never knew the history of the secret code of quilting. I still have a quilt that my great great great grandmother. Feel like it weight about 10 pounds

[@claudettemonty4077]

Before looking your video, I was listening a tutorial on this subject "The Underground Railroad" and she told us to read the same book that you have. She was an historian on that subject. I will go back and I will be able to send you the title of the conference that she gave!

[@cynthiahawkins2389]

I gave a children's book to my best friend Thelma. It tells the story of a little girl, born in slavery, who would leave her family and flee North, from bondage. 'Freedom Quilts' were very common, and an amazing part of American history. I like this You Tube video, but alas, Ms. Burns ought to remember - there is no such word as 'excape'. I think she means EScape!

[@stuckinstitches]

Fascinating!!

[@pattysherwood7091]

I met a beautiful family of Christians recently who are all very dark skinned descendants of slaves. They live in Canada and speak French. This is such an interesting story about those finding freedom on the Underground Railroad

[@cheryl8280]

Really, people???? Why so negative. This woman has forgotten more about quilts and quilting than even the best quilters have learned. To those of you who have offered the negative, lighten up. Don't like it, go somewhere else. There are plenty of us who enjoy this art. Too bad you people can't add a little positivity to your lives.

[@MrsAChery]

I am sooooo making these

[@grandmama536]

+AR Chery Me too

[@MAHWL]

I'm curious to know... Is the hostess a descendent of a slave escapee?

[@tigerlillykittenlover5056]

i found this so interesting.

[@bobbiebb21]

Where can I purchase the fabrics used in the sampler quilts?

[@ebriggs3498]

Google Eleanor Burnes; she has in online shop. She’s on PBS on Sat. mornings.

[@justbeingveetv3423]

It feels weird because she's smiling and all happy talking about slavery... *Detached from the real emotion...*

[@pm2agility]

Thats what I was just thinking. I was about to turn it off.

[@libbysmith7633]

If you have watched any of her other tutorials you would know this is the tone of voice she always uses and the demeanor she always presents. Please don't look for faults where there are none.

[@shirleylangley6804]

Get a life.

[@learnsomethingeveryday9281]

Two years later from your comment and I agree and I’m not going back to watch other videos. After reading the comments on the mentioned book, I won’t be reading that either. The previous comments are just as detached as she is. When we have parents and grandparents still living who went through Jim Crow times just 50 years ago, raised by the very people who say “get a life”.....you get a fucking life.

[@Mo-wh5nu]

@@learnsomethingeveryday9281 totally agree.

[@grace2548]

I love all the quilts n ur outfits wow!! I want to get that history story books?? Where they sell the books??

[@sherrydwight1106]

What is the name of the book and writer again ? So interesting. Thank you.

[@melveny]

I purchased her book. It has nice technical information for constructing beautiful traditional quilts. Underground Railroad Sampler gives a fairytale-like narrative of people escaping their oppressors. Each quilt has a story about how a quilt may have helped an oppressed individual get away. Unfortunately, the book repeatedly uses racist language in each story. The author begins the tale by sharing that people leaving bondage called themselves "passengers" on the Underground Railroad yet this respectable language is soon forgotten throughout the rest of the book. African Americans are repeatedly referred to as "Slaves" and "fugitives" in contrast to dignified terms used for evil oppressors who are referred to as "slaveholders", "slave owner" or "plantation owners". The author conspicuously describes "blacks" as the slaves but does not describe "whites" as the enslavers. "..., Let my people go, that they may serve me" Exodus 9:1 God never refers to His "people" as slaves. God does not make slaves. This book needs revision

[@ruthmaccario]

MAGNIFIQUE SUPER

[@laurakorvalian3657]

0uth Maccario

[@laurakorvalian3657]

4

[@ummaslih]

....maybe that's just her voice. ...

[@catherinegreen7003]

Kristine Scott Yes it is! She means No harm and you will see people making snide remarks but you don't see them teaching Black History.

[@KimberlyBennefield]

None of this is factual. Many of these blocks didn’t even exist at that time. No former slave confirms any of this. I understand that it’s “fun” history, it’s just not real history. And this video is EXTREMELY insensitive. Love Eleanor, but this is just wrong.

[@christopherdensmore7583]

Nice stories. Too bad they are not true. When would an enslaved person who worked from sunrise to sunset have the time to make ten quilts? Where would she get the fabric? More importantly, why do all of this work to communicate information that could be passed along orally in a couple of minutes? And the information isn't very useful. In some versions a quilt tells freedom seekers to follow the bear tracks. Really? Bears don't go north, they walk in circles in a range of a few miles. And do you really want to meet a bear in the woods? To escape from slavery, you needed to be brave and clever. The many, many hours spent making one quilt, let alone multiple quilts could have been put to better use for more practical matters like finding information about what route to take, collecting supplies and money for the journey, learning how to navigate by the North Star.

[@wegotabadasshere]

no this is all true. didn't they teach you this in history class. look up underground railroad quilt if you like.

[@ankimo1957]

Christopher Densmore I recently read that this was a load of crap, too. None of these claims were ever reliably documented, and who's to say that any one design would be known by everyone from state-to-state. While it is a romantic tale, it is illogical, especially to think that women worked the fields all day and quilted all night, rather than sleep. Hogwash.

[@flossie5432]

@ Christopher Densmore-who's to say they are not wholly or partially true.When would an enslaved person have time to make them? Possibly on a sunday,after the required attendance at church-and one person wouldn't need to make 10 quilts.Ten people,however could pool resources to set in motion a sequence of events,even if they were discouraged from regular communication.Look here for an example from WW2...www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/1336483/Secret-messages-sewn-into-PoW-womens-quilts.html

[@libbysmith7633]

Christopher, how much research have you actually done on this subject? I'm afraid not very much. Every story behind every quilt may not be perfectly accurate however, many are. Don't be so quick to dismiss the intellect and the inventiveness of the African Americans who struggled to escape their circumstances.

[@theblondeone8426]

Oh, have you escaped from slavery? please tell me more about your brave escape….