New book reveals lives, loves and losses behind War Widows’ Quilt

A new digital exhibition book tells the moving stories that lie behind the squares of the War Widows’ Quilt, a collaborative piece of art made by more than 90 war widows.

Part of the War Widows’ Stories project, led by LJMU’s Dr Nadine Muller (Reader in Women’s & Gender Studies) in collaboration with the War Widows’ Association of Great Britain, the War Widows’ Quilt is a beautiful and challenging piece of art that communicates the realities of war widowhood in the UK through quilting and poetry.

A new digital version of the exhibition book, released for Remembrance Sunday, allows people to discover the quilt and the stories that lie behind each of its squares, as well as the creative and research work that inspired this stunning piece of textile art.

Nadine said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to make a digital version of the book available for free as we mark Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday.

“The War Widows’ Quilt has provided a creative, therapeutic and immensely impactful way for the women to tell their life stories, and to process and share their love, loss and grief, as well as the social and economic challenges they have faced.

“The restrictions of the COVID pandemic have meant that we’ve not been able to exhibit the quilt since its display at the Queen’s House, Greenwich, in 2019. I’m so pleased that people can now discover the quilt and the stories behind it through this beautiful new edition of the exhibition book.

“The experiences so many women have shared through the War Widows’ Stories project are an incredibly important part of the history of war and conflict that must not be forgotten, and we have a duty to continue to hear and learn from all those affected and left behind by conflicts around the world to understand the real cost of war.”

The War Widows’ Quilt was edited by Lois Blackburn (Lead Artist), Philip Davenport (Lead Writer), Nadine Muller (Project Lead), and produced by Graff.io Arts. You can download the book from the project’s website at www.warwidowsstories.org.uk or via this direct link.