“The Quilts That Lived Before Us”

Meet Brynne Mellon and Bailye Colbert, the twin sisters behind Whippoorwill Quilts, who turned a simple passion into a thriving small business built on history, craftsmanship, and heart.

Q: What have these quilts taught you...about the women who made them, about home, or even about your own lives?

A: SLOW DOWN! Patience and presence. Everyday tasks are not an emergency; it’s okay to slow down and let tomorrow’s work be tomorrow’s work. It's a lesson we have to reinforce all the time. It would be easy to rush through our lives, but just like the women who made these quilts, we need to slow down, be patient, and try to enjoy the moments while we are in them.

Quilts have reminded us that not everything is urgent, and not every task needs to be rushed. In fact, most of them do not need to be rushed. There’s a quiet wisdom in the way these quilts were made, one stitch at a time, with patience and purpose. The women who created them weren’t racing to the finish. They were building something meaningful in between the rhythms of everyday life. That perspective has a way of grounding us.”

Front Porch Magazine:

Country Living Magazine:

5 Vintage Quilt Styles That Sell EVERY Time, According to Antiques Dealers —Grandma's linen closet could hold a gold mine.

Bailye Colbert and Brynne Mellon feel similarly. “People want something that is tangible, truly handmade with quality craftsmanship, and lasts the test of time,” the owners of Whippoorwill Quilts share. “Vintage and antique quilts get better with age and check all of those boxes.”

A display of colorful handmade quilts hanging on a wooden frame outdoors. There are additional folded quilts on the ground and in a black basket, with a background of green trees.

Voyage KC Magazine:

Life & Work with Brynne Mellon & Bailye Colbert

This interview dives deeper into our lives as stay-at-home-moms and entrepreneurs, how we balance both and that overall, we are a dynamic duo when we work together.

Two women smiling and wearing colorful handmade quilted paper crowns, taking a selfie indoors with windows showing a green outdoor scene in the background.

Country Living Magazine:

100+ Great Places to Shop for Antiques and Vintage Online — including Whippoorwill Quilts

For Affordable Heirlooms:
Whipporwill Quilts


Twin sisters who grew up going to auctions and estate sales teamed up to start this business devoted to showcasing their favorite finds, mostly sourced in and around their respective states of Arkansas and Maryland.

(Who are now both in MISSOURI — yaaaa!)

Two beds with pink and multicolored vintage quilts, pink pillows, wooden nightstand with a vase of flowers, lamp, and books, colorful quilted wall hangings, and a wooden bench in a cozy bedroom.

(Photo from Country Living)