The National Quilt Museum in Paducah is getting ready to open two new exhibits, kicking off 2016: the regional guild show, "Simply Southwest" and the annual kids' contest, "School Block Challenge." On Sounds Good, Tracy Ross speaks with Judy Schwender, Curator of Collections and Registrar, about these exhibits and a peek at 'The Other Side' coming in February.
New and unexpected patterns and pops of color can be seen at the National Quilt Museum this month, with the opening of two exhibits on January 15, running through March 1. Schwender says there's less than a week left to see the current exhibit, "Red, White & Quilted" featuring contemporary and antique quilts made entirely with the colors of red and white.
"Simply Southwest"
The regional guild show features quilts by guild members from Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, from people who have a wonderful sense of place, Schwender says. The quilts represent a microcosm of the region, featuring a combination of tans and blues.
"School Block Challenge"
This exhibit showcases the annual national contest for kids, where participants from Kindergarten through 12th grade design their own 16 x 16 quilt block. The blocks are judged and the winners are chosen, but all of the blocks are on display. This year's exhibit shows 222 blocks from 329 children representing 17 states. Schwender says seasoned quilters often marvel at the techniques of the children since they approach quilting differently and without a preconceived set of rules.
Coming in February
The National Quilt Museum will show 'The Other Side' of quilts in February, where the backs will be on display. Sometimes the backs are more interesting than the front, she says, where the threads that hold the pieces together can be seen, sometimes creating an entirely different pattern or showing different colors than the front. In some cases, quilters piece an entirely different quilt on the back.