Presidential Quilts in Paducah

This is QuiltWeek in Paducah, Kentucky, sponsored by the American Quilter’s Society. The main AQS show is open Wednesday, April 20 thru Saturday, April 23 at the Paducah Convention Center. I have always wanted to go, and I will attend some year.

My friend and quilt historian, Sue Reich, has an exhibit of antique quilts titled Patriotic & Presidential Quilts at the Robert Cherry Civic Center in Paducah. Also on display is the Presidential Quilt Project, consisting of 43 wall quilts depicting our presidents. Each was made by a volunteer using fabrics and patterns appropriate to the time period of the president. I made George H. W. Bush. This is as close as I’ll ever be to having a quilt hanging at Paducah! For more information visit the Paducah Rotary Club.

The collection is traveling to local museums and historical societies around the county until December 2017. They will be on display at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts, from May 17 thru September 4. Sue has written a book, Quilts Presidential and Patriotic, that is available from Sue directly or through other booksellers. I highly recommend it.

This is my George H. W. Bush quilt, made for the Presidential Quilt Project. I used photos of things important to him, rather than strictly applicable to his time as president. During his acceptance speech for the presidential nomination in 1988 he compared America's clubs and volunteer organizations to "a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky." The thousand points of light became a regular theme during his presidency and is represented by the stars containing the seals of Yale University, Vice President, President and Director of the CIA.

I'll be posting the next part of the Ruby Short McKim monogram font tomorrow. Have a great day.

Mary