The Thompson Quilt Chest
The Story Behind the Thompson Quilt Chest
A long-time client approached me with a special request: to create and build a chest for her mother to store and display her handmade quilts.
Although I had never tackled such a project, I designed a unique piece inspired by her ideas and picture suggestions. It was cedar-lined and had a curved, hinged top with divided glass.
Project Design Process
The chest was to be a surprise for her mother. My client gave me some pictures of quilt chests that her mother had collected over the years to use as a starting point for the design. Other than those pictures, I was given a complete creative license.
I wasn’t sure how I’d accomplish it, but I knew the chest had to have a curved top with lead-divided glass, hinges, and a strong lid stay. Using actual glass put the project out of bounds cost-wise, so instead, I used plexiglass, which I formed into a curve myself using a custom shop-made jig.
I chose sapele as the wood for the chest. It has a rich elegance that almost sparkles when finished, which compliments the quilts displayed inside. The front and side of the case were plexiglass to show off the quilts, while the back and bottom were cedar lined to keep the quilts safe from any potential bug invaders.
