Lincoln Quilters Guild

Earlier this week, I made the trek out to Lincoln, Nebraska to teach for the Lincoln Quilters Guild.  My visit started out on a bang.  As we were exiting the Omaha Airport parking lot en route to Lincoln, we hit a massive pothole!!  Nebraska has been experiencing record winter weather (cold temperatures, snowfall), creating massive potholes all across the state, while also exhausting budget money needed for care/repair.  A few minutes later, the front passenger tire was completely flat and thankfully my host was able to maneuver safely over to the side of the highway.  Due to the record number of potholes, the AAA Roadside Assistance help number involved a 25 minute wait just to talk to someone, and another hour wait for assistance to arrive on scene and replace the flat tire with a donut.  Fortunately, everyone had a wonderful sense of humor as we all got better acquainted!!

The next day kicked off bright and early with Walking Foot WOW!  The workshop was held in a wonderful space with lots of natural light and a large white board!

Walking Foot WOW in Progress

By the end of the day, there were lots of beautiful designs stitched, and lots of happy smiles!!

Walking Foot Wonders!!

Luckily, my visit came after a recent snow storm, but there was plenty of evidence remaining (including more potholes!)  Much of the snow was starting to melt, thanks to the warmer temperatures!  Seeing the snow covered ground reminded me why I left New York moved to sunny California!!

Snow Covered Grounds

After the workshop, I had a chance to relax and recover in my hotel room that was equipped with a kitchen, sofa, record player, and Barry Manilow records satisfying all my home-away-from-home needs!

All Your Standard Hotel Accommodations

The next morning, we had a private docent tour of the International Quilt Study Center & Museum.  All I can say is WOW!! What an incredible facility dedicated to the collecting, preserving, study, exhibiting, and discovering quilting!!!

International Quilt Study Center & Museum

We had a chance to go behind the scenes of this incredible center.  Early into the tour, I saw a pair of volunteers refolding a spectacular Cathedral Windows quilt to be returned to storage.  From there, we were taken into the large storage room.  Most of these boxes contain 2 quilts, carefully rolled/folded with archival paper--and there are sooo many shelves that move back and forth in order to access the collection.  Some of the more fragile quilts are stored flat in these large stacked shelves.  Jaime, a staff member and graduate student, introduced us to a few of his favorite quilts that each had their own exquisite details!

Quilt Collection & Storage

Every quilt in the IQSCM collection is is photographed and catalogued into their online Collections database.  Below is an amazing Soldier's Mosaic Stars Quilt (2009.039.0062) that was found in Germantown, PA in the late 19th century and believed to be made by an American soldier.

Exceptional Condition Thanks to IQSCM's Commitment to Quilt Conservation

There were several cultural collections on exhibit, starting with Stitching the Transatlantic: Liberian Quilts from the John Singler Collection.  This quilt really caught my eye for the bold use of colors, radiating design and secondary designs that emerge at the center.

Tobacco Leaf and Tulip Quilt from the John Singler Collection

The next exhibit was From Kente to Kuba: Stitched Textiles from West and Central Africa.  The repetitive patterning in this Kuba skirt really appealed to my modern aesthetic.

Applique and Patchwork Kuba Skirt Panel

In the Collecting and Recollecting exhibit, quiltmaking from the India states of Gujarat, Mahaashtra, and Karnataka were on display.  As part of Patricia Stoddard and Martha Wallace IQSCM funded research, the traveled to Gujarat and documented quiltmaking and their makers.  I loved seeing photographs capturing each maker with their quilt, on display next to the actual quilt!

Featured Quiltmakers: Sajnaben Harijan (left) and Puriben (right)

One quilt in particular really intrigued my curiousity as to its construction.  Even after studying it up close for several minutes, I am puzzled as to how this quilt maker pieced all these zig zags, and concluded that partial seams may have been involved.

Quiltmaker: Permaben Maheshwari Dangera

I really loved this quilt made by an unidentified member of the Joshi (fortune-teller) ethnic group, and thought it would fit right into any Modern Quilt display for its bold colors, minimalist design, and negative space.

Unidentified Maker

The last grouping of quilts was from the Karnataka region, and included a number of Kawandi quilts.  These quilts are top stitched from the outside in, and feature blocks of bright colors and patterning.

Kawandi Quilt

Most of the Kawandi quilts in the exhibit utilize a long running stitch completed in concentric rings.  Several of the quilts featured more intricate stitching including some that resembled chicken feet, flower blooms, and triangles interspersed with the long running stitches.  It became a fun scavenger hunt to find these stitched details.

Stitched Details

We visited two quilt shops, including the Cosmic Cow, which had an amazing collection of fabrics, several of which just had to come home with me!  My hosts introduced me to the owner, who led me to the back of the quilt shop and asked me to leave a handwritten message on a hot pink antique sewing machine table.  There were several names I recognized from my own quilting journey, along with a few other famous signatures including Miss Nebraska 2012!

Cosmic Cow Celebrities

The evening guild meeting was filled with spectacular color!!  After I finished setting up my quilts, I wandered out to the lobby to explore before the meeting began.  I timed my walk about perfectly, as the sun was shining into the gorgeous stained glass windows that spanned the entire side of the church.

Stained Stained Glass Beauties

Of course, there were bursts of color in my Dare to Dye lecture/trunk show!!!  It is always fun to watch attendees interact with my quilts following the trunk show portion!!

Dare to Dye! Colorful Finale

Many thanks to the Lincoln Quilters Guild for the warm welcome, especially my fabulous hosts Julie & Marilynn.  Special thanks to IQSCM volunteer docent Ann and staff member Jaime, for the amazing behind the scenes tour of the International Quilt Study Center & Museum!!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Nebraska teaching adventures as I visit next with the Omaha Quilters' Guild next.