Shelly Zegart, a colossus in the world of quilting, who was instrumental in elevating what was long considered a mere utilitarian craft into the canon of American art and material culture, died on July 22 at her home in Louisville, Ky. She was 84.

Once called the “Queen of Quilts,” Ms. Zegart never stitched so much as a sweater in her life. “I don’t make anything,” she once said, “not even dinner.”

What she did make were connections: Between quilters, art collectors, historians and museums. In doing so, she connected quilting to the American experience.

“I like to work with marginalized groups of people, marginalized communities, and quilts felt to me like they were marginalized,” she said. “The first time I saw quilts, I said, ‘Wait a minute, there’s something wrong here. These are great works of arts.’”