Home-front quilt, World War II
NMAH Textiles Collection
Gift of Welthea B. Thoday

The squares of this handmade quilt portray historical events, symbols, and slogans of World War II, including flags and eagles. The eagle in the center panel, embroidered in red and blue, was based on the three-cent U.S. postage stamp issued during World War II with the slogan Win the War.

Although the individual pieces were stitched during the war, they were put away for almost thirty years. World War II air warden Welthea B. Thoday, whose friends and relatives originally worked the squares, assembled the quilt and displayed it at the Boston Bicentennial Exhibition in 1976.