Special Exhibits

Appliqued Album Quilts - Virginia Quilt Museum
Popularized in Baltimore in the 1840s, appliqued album quilts showcase elaborate applique designs and were often, but not always, created by more than one person. Made as presents to celebrate a special occasion, to tell a story, to commemorate an event, or to create a beautiful bed covering, these album quilts are all exceptional examples of applique work. Explore album quilts from the Virginia Quilt Museum’s education collection in this exhibition, from replicas of historic quilts to contemporary works of art, these seven quilts have stories to tell. Pictured: The Harriman Album Quilt
 

 

 

Balance - TAVA (Textile Artists of VA)
Apart from being a device used to regulate the speed of a watch, the term balance refers to a state of being in which things are of equal weight or strength, opposing forces harmonize, a mental equilibrium exists, and the consideration of more than one viewpoint is possible. In these pieces, TAVA members reflect not only on stability, equity and poise, because balance  means so much more. A life without balance can lead to miscommunication, illness, stress,  conflict, resentment, strife, and chaos.

The Textile Artists of Virginia (TAVA) use fiber as a medium to create art. Now in our 13th year, our group continues to grow, allowing for a thoughtful, diverse presentation of ideas and fiber techniques. TAVA supports and encourages each member as a fiber artist through sharing ideas and techniques, as well as exploring the boundaries of the medium with programs and hands-on activities. TAVA increases public awareness of fiber art through exhibits and public engagement. 

 

Candy Stripes - Peninsula Modern Quilt Guild
In this challenge our members chose their color palette from the wrapper of their favorite candy, and all colors in the wrapper were to be used, including the background and binding.  Additionally, the entire quilt was constructed using only 2.5” strips.  CAN YOU GUESS THE CANDY?  Check the back of the artist’s statement card to see if you guessed correctly! 

 

Charmed - Richmond Quilters Guild
The 2025 Richmond Quilters Guild Challenge for the Mid-Atlantic Show is Charmed! Charm quilts or One Patch quilts are made using only one template. Also called Beggar Quilts, women would ask friends, neighbors, family for bits of fabric to collect enough scraps to complete their quilts. Traditionally, charm quilts are composed using 999 pieces of fabric using the same template where there are no identical fabrics used. Any size of any shape is allowed but the size and shape must be consistent throughout the quilt. You can work in miniature if you like.

The minimum amount of pieces is 250 to make it approachable. But no more than 2500 pieces. No duplicate fabrics, however, you may use fabrics from the same collections. Keep it simple or make it more challenging. Fussy cut, die cut, hand cut. You may use cottons or any other fabric of choice. Labels will include the quilts title, the makers name, pattern information if a pattern was used. The date completed and total number of charms. What inspired you to create this quilt? All in honor of 2025. Pictured: CHARMED by Sally Stokely 

 

The Color Purple - 54-40 African American Quilt Guild
All members were given a half yard of purple fabric. Each quilt has to have a noticeable amount of the fabric and the finished quilt has to be 42” x 42” in size, and depict something from the "Color Purple," movie, book or musical . One could add as many other purples or other colors as one liked. Each member will have other quilts that are purple in theme also.

Our guild was formed with eight founding members in March of 1993. We now have 28 members. Our quilts have been featured in shows in Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Missouri, and Kentucky.  Our guild was one of many African- American quilting groups to be featured in Roland L. Freeman's book entitled "A Communion of the Spirits." Our community involvements include speaking to groups about the art of quilting and dispelling the myth of what African American Quilting really is.

Color Spectrum - The Fabric Poets

We challenged our members to select the color of their choice and create a work using the color spectrum.  The challenge entailed using color value and shade, light to dark to create a quilt or use a selection of fabrics that as a whole, reads as one color. 

 

  

 

 

Connections - QUUilters of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond

Every year the QUUilters of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond, Virginia, choose a theme or technique to explore through quilt making. For the 2024-25 challenge, the group selected the theme of “Connections.” Our theme was created by using a uniform size of 20 inches by 40 inches and a color palette card selected from Sarah Renae Clark’s Color Cube.    Our goal was to show both connectedness and individuality in our display. Pictured: Modern Quilt by Helaine Meadows

 

 

 

Conversations: Health on Our Minds / In the Pink - Talk Ten Travels

Talk Ten was formed at the start of the pandemic by members of the Visions Museum of Textile Arts who share a love for textile art and a desire to meet virtually. Initially, ten members joined (the inspiration behind our group’s name), but over time we have lost a few members, and now gained some, even expanding to having a more international group. Our group presents “TalkTen Conversations,” which includes the two new collections before you. Health on Our Mind features art quilts that reflect an ever-present concern for older women. These 18” x 18” quilts explore themes of healing, medical processes, and the intricate tapestry of the human body.

 

 

 

Elements of Nature - It's Just Us
The four classic Elements In Nature are Earth, Wind. Fire and Water. Throughout history, these elements have played an important role in spirituality, religion, communing with our vast surroundings in nature and in our daily lives. The concept of nature's elements has been the cornerstone of philosophy, science and medicine for two thousand years starting with the ancient Greeks.

Each element represents a basic function in life. Earth represents rocks and stability. Water represents fluidity and adaptability. Fire represents life and energy. Wind represents movement and expansion.

Together, these elements come full circle to create the world we live in. Our exhibit displays Nature's Elements in its various forms, various interpretations, and various elements together and as one.

 

Geometrics - Homemakers Country Quilters

Homemakers Country Quilters Guild invites you to visit our exhibit, “Geometrics.” Quilts are made of different shapes and combinations of shapes to form a whole, similar to how different shapes and combinations of shapes form our lives. Our Exhibit “Geometrics” highlights the different quilters in our guild as the art of quilting shapes our lives. Homemakers Country Quilt Guild of Collegeville PA is a welcoming group where quilters, novice to experienced, of all ages, and quilting styles meet to make friends, hear quilt inspired speakers and share our love of quilting.  This exhibit showcases our quilters and their range of styles and expressions in their “Geometry" of life. Quilts pictured created by Marcia Fields, Mary Kieras, and Jane Nase.

Graffiti - Fiber & Stitch Art Collective

Graffiti, a thousand-year-old form of visual communication, is often associated with vandalism and spray paint. Interpreting graffiti in fabric and thread, members of the Fiber and Stitch Art Collective will be marking our messages on the walls of Studio IX (with permission this time!) during the month of May 2024. Be sure to look for the tags as well as the messages!

 

 

 

Habitat - Fiber & Stitch Art Collective
Habitats can be viewed at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Va. In keeping with the mission of the Garden, we have created work that celebrates the many shapes and forms that nature takes in providing homes for all species. 

  

 

 

 

I’m Seeing Dots - Peninsula Modern Quilt Guild
Our guild’s second challenge was all about the Polka Dot.  Members had to design their quilt using Polka Dot fabrics or create blocks that read like Polka Dots (i.e., drunkards path, circle in a square, applique circles, etc.).  We hope our exhibit sparks your own creativity and leaves you seeing Dots! 

 

Initials Challenge — Country Piecemakers Quilt Guild
Our guild challenge is for each quilter to use her three initials to choose two colors and a block. Debbie Wynn Smith, for instance, might use the colors Dandelion and Slate in the block Wagon Tracks. We are to employ fabrics that read as solids in only the two chosen colors (plus variations in value, if so desired) and the chosen block in any arrangement that suits our fancy to construct a unique quilt that makes us smile.

 

Inspired by the Nation's Capital - Curated by Donna DeSotoTo celebrate our Nation’s Capital, fiber artists from across the country have portrayed key places and events in the Washington DC area. This collection of over 100 original 24” x 24” quilts showcases historic buildings, monuments, landmarks, museums and recreation areas. The collection is a fabric travelogue, enabling viewers the opportunity to see a wide variety of sites from the very familiar to the lesser-known that feature the heart of the city, from the most serious locations to the more playful. Techniques, materials and fiber art skills are as varied as the subjects of the quilts.  Quilt credit: U.S. Air Force Memorial - Barbara Hollinger, and Arlene Wagner, National Cathedral - Meghan Shafer, Georgetown - Jeanne Coglianese, Kite Festival - Lisa Arthaud, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - Carole Nicholas.

 

In the Eye of the Beholder - Stretching Art and Tradition 25
The creation of art is intensely personal and subjective. Unless you are creating a portrait of a famous person, the work you create from your intention and inspiration is meant to be interpreted by a viewer.  For this, our 25th (yes 25!!!) exhibit, we invite you to create a piece that leaves room for viewer interpretation that may not align with your intention. We will engage the viewing public by asking them to respond to our works with their thoughts. We also challenged the entrants to join in the original intent of this exhibit each year - to stretch yourself in your artistic application and share that process in the description. Perhaps you’ve never painted on fabric, used alternative fibers, or focused on hand quilting, like sashiko. Maybe multiple layers or embracing wabi sabi, the Japanese concept of celebrating imperfections, is calling you to explore a new path in your craftsmanship. Maybe you have a group of friends willing to join you in the quilting technique founded in the Cook Islands, Tivaevae! 


Kaleidoscope A Quilting Treasure Trove - Kuumba African American Quilt Guild
The Kuumba African American Quilt Guild of Richmond, Virginia is excited to showcase their stunning, artful, and colorful collection of quilts. The quilts are a fantastic variety of impressive creations, ranging from reimagining traditional quilt patterns to modern renditions of textile art. The exhibit includes cultural and historical pieces created with inspiring stories of the African American quilter. Various art techniques and materials are used to reflect each member's unique style and expression. 

The exhibition brings together beautiful works of art with stories told by each guild member, and the journeys they have taken together to build a strong sisterhood and brotherhood. Furthermore, friendships that bonded them together for creative self-expressions, the joy of creating together within a group, and their personal artistic growth as a quilter. What each member has brought and shared with one another through fabric is the connecting strength that holds and binds them all together, like a beautiful warm cozy quilt. Kuumba Quilt Guild is happy to share their joy of quiltmaking exhibited at the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival.

Literary Allusions - 20 Perspectives
Literary Allusions is an exhibit by the international group of fiber artists, 20 Perspectives. The artists were prompted to take inspiration from literature, poems, or song lyrics and interpret the words or phrases through their own visual or cultural perspectives. Each piece transforms words into vivid expressions of color, form, and texture whether abstract or figurative. Viewers will find that some of the works illustrate the quote while others reflect universal or intensely personal thoughts and meanings. Techniques used include lettering, painting, dyeing and collaging utilizing commercial or hand-dyed fabric. 

 

Modern My Way - Quilts by Allyson Allen

The inspiration for this challenge is the fact that for every situation, music can be like a time machine.  One song - the lyrics, the melody, the mood - can take you back to a moment in time like nothing else can. It can make you smile, or bring you to tears.  It could be a song sung to you by your Mom when you were young, or a special song shared with a loved one, a song that reminds you of a special event, or a type of music that makes you want to dance in the moment. Quilt credit: Crosshairs by Allyson Allen
 

 

 

My Favorite Things - Main Line Quilt Guild
Main Line Quilters invite you to visit our exhibit, “My Favorite Things”. Of course, quilts are our favorite things! But we have also created visual displays of some of the things we treasure, in a variety of quilt styles. Our quilt guild provides a space to be creative, make friends, and share our love of quilting.  New quilters are encouraged and experienced quilters are challenged to try something new. This exhibit ranges from traditional to modern quilts, including fiber art, bed quilts and everything in between. Quilt credit: Wishing for Grandsons by Carolmarie Scanlon

 

 

 

Myths & Legends - Quilts by Marilyn Belford

I have always had a penchant for the dramatic. Plays such as Medea, music by Beethoven, and paintings like Guernica by Picasso and German expressionism have always been my preferences. Strong colors like reds and yellows make me tingle. It was natural for me to be drawn to the drama and excitement of Mythology, especially of the women of myth, oft misunderstood and hopefully portrayed as powerful in my Myths and Legends series. Starting with the Greek and Roman myths, I became interested in those of other countries, such as Nordic and Mexican. Pictured: Freya and Cats by Marilyn Belford

 

 

Our Neighborhood of Row Houses - Curated by Mary Walter

Welcome to our little neighborhood of eclectic Row Houses. Each quilt artist has interpreted the same pattern provided by Mary Walter in their own unique way. Some chose to stick closely to the pattern; others have added additional architectural details and embellishments such as applique, lace, or buttons. Many have used fabrics, with hand and machine stitching to create an atmosphere around their Row Houses. We hope when visiting our quilts, you will be engaged and delighted with our Neighborhood of Row houses as much as we were when we built them. Quilt credit: Cats at Night by Betsy DeWolf

 

 

Our Stories, Our Quilts - Fellowship Quilt Guild

Each quilter has a story.  Our quilts capture the essence of how quilts can reflect individual stories and perspectives. Each quilter's unique vision and creativity are expressed through the diverse elements of their quilts, from the choice of fabrics to the intricate patterns and designs. Together, these quilts form a collective narrative that showcases the group's diversity and shared experiences. Quilt credit: Serendipitous Weave by Vivian Walker

 

 

Out of Africa - SAQA Minnesota

What happens when you give a fat quarter of African fabric to Minnesotan textile artists? Incredible diversity. Some look like they came from the continent of the fabric and some look like where the artist resides. All are unique and each is a reflection of the fabric and the one who created it. Can you find the special fabric in each? Quilt credit: Circling the Nine Patch by Linda Syverson-Guild 

 

 

 

Out of Anything - Central Virginia Modern Quilt Guild
One of the many appeals of quilting is the maker’s ability to create incredible beauty out of anything: a vintage quilt scrap, old clothing, a favorite piece from our stash, or a beloved family textile. This year, we learned the art of transforming scraps into quilts and art from the very best teachers. Our guild hosted workshops with celebrated artists, including Heidi Parkes, Maria Shell, Lyric Kinard, and Deb Boschart. Each artist shared their unique approach to quilting, and the magic ensued as we integrated their visions into our own. The quilts in this year’s exhibit reflect both the influences of these wonderful teachers and our unique interpretations of what it means to make a quilt “out of anything.”

 

Poppy - Cherrywood Challenge - Cherrywood Fabrics

Every year, Cherrywood chooses a theme and color palette and presents a challenge to quilters from all over the world. For the 2024 Challenge, the theme is Poppy. The challenge is to see what you can create using a very limited number of colors and show of the beautiful suede look of our hand-dyed fabric. 

  

 

 

 

A Quilt About Me - Colonial Piecemakers Quilt Guild

Colonial Piecemakers Quilt Guild of Williamsburg, VA is excited to present an exhibit of quilts created around the theme of "A Quilt About Me".  This collection of smaller challenge quilts has been created to reveal a deeper understanding about our members.  You might see piecing, applique, paint, buttons, and other embellishments as we seek to get to know ourselves and one another better.  Please enjoy our exhibit. Quilt credit: A Quilt About Me Emma Allen
 

 

 

The Race Is On! - Cabin Branch Quilters
Inspired by current events our theme this year is all about races, both figurative and literal.  The Summer Olympics, the presidential race, the race against time for looking and living our best all spark a wide range of emotions.  The tortoise and the hare taught us lessons in perseverance in the face of adversity.  And the rat race inspires us all to seek a better work-life balance and make plans for the future.  Join the Cabin Branch Quilters as we illustrate our own perspectives and inspirations for this year’s theme, “The Race is On!”

Rumors - SAQA Georgia/South Carolina
Four groups of five artists from SAQA's GA/SC region participated in RUMORS, an exhibit based on the old “Gossip Game”.After receiving an original inspirational photograph, each of the 20 participating artists had one month to create an art quilt. At the end of the month, the artists sent a photo of the quilt they had created to the next person in their group who, in turn, had one month to create a 12” x 12” quilt inspired by that artist’s photograph….and so on…and so on. There were four rounds--20 quilts per group...a total of 80 extraordinary quilts!

 

 

Seasons - Quilts on the Wall

“For everything there is a season” Ecclesiastes 3:1
There are seasons where the weather, sky and landscape change. Seasons of life are experienced by all living creatures. Pelicans migrate south to mate and breed in early spring and the hot summer months are easier to tolerate when you can enjoy a day at the beach. And, before we know it, we have accumulated a lifetime of memories of the events that have shaped us in the seasons of our lives. Quilt credit: Hot Summer Fun by Janice Willis

 

 

 

Sew Me a Tune - Annapolis Quilt Guild
These quilts were created as part of the Annapolis Quilt Guild’s 2024 Challenge.  In a world where melodies could be woven like threads and lyrics spun into intricate tapestries, the challenge required interested members to draw inspiration from a randomly assigned song to ignite the creativity of the quilter.  Other than limiting the size of the quilt (perimeter = 60” to 200”), participants were free to interpret the challenge and their respective songs in their own way.  We hope you enjoy these quilts and that they inspire you to step outside your comfort zone when creating your next masterpiece.

Stars Over Mathews - Bay Quilters of Mathews
Mathews County is a peninsula that protrudes into the Chesapeake Bay.  One road in; one road out.  As a result, there is very little light pollution - especially when you go down to the beaches.  One day a guild member was remarking how blessed we are to have a deeply rural community. Not even one traffic light in the whole county. (2 light houses, but no traffic lights.)  As we discussed the advantages of living so far from harem-scarem urban areas, the night sky kept coming up in the conversation. The stars have historically been a vital asset to Mathews mariners.  They led the way to other ports of call.  They were a beacon for the homeward voyage. Learning to navigate by the stars is and always has been a necessary skill learned by each new generation of watermen.  And yet not all stars are in the sky! This exhibit shows that when you use your imagination and think outside the box, "stars" mean different things to different people!  What do stars mean to you?


Summer Dream'n - River Country Quilt Guild
With the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival being in February our guild thought it would be fun to show something summery. We created wall hangings showing what our favorite things are to do during the summer, therefore "Summer Dream'n".

Take Time to Smell the Flowers - Tidewater Quilters Guild
"Take Time to Smell the Flowers" is a quilt exhibit that celebrates the delicate beauty and peaceful moments found in nature. Each quilt is a vibrant, handcrafted tribute to the serenity and joy that flowers bring into our lives. Through intricate designs and rich colors, these quilts evoke the sense of pausing to appreciate the small wonders around us. The exhibit encourages visitors to slow down, take a deep breath, and find inspiration in the simplicity and elegance of floral patterns brought to life through fabric and thread. 

Travel the U.S.A - Peninsula Piecemakers Quilt Guild
Peninsula Piecemakers Quilt Guild members were challenged to make a quilt in celebration of their favorite state. This could be the state they were born in, favorite travel destination, or somewhere they’ve always wanted to go. Members could represent their chosen state with quilt blocks (i.e. Ohio Star), fabrics (state flowers, state birds, etc.) or anything else their imagination and fingers could create. Join us as we Travel the U.S.A.!


Worldwide Threads – Asia - FiberArtists@LooseEnds

FiberArtists@LooseEnds embarked on a voyage of discovery, through the creation of artwork, learning about and illustrating an inspiring global community. The growing interconnectedness of our world allows for a deeper understanding of culture through art and the creative expression of ideas. In this spirit, traditional and contemporary textile techniques were used to communicate regional impressions through color, texture, language, and imagery. This collection of artworks, exploring the essence of Asian art and culture, is the first in a planned series of global art scrolls.  Quilt credit: Lisa Ellis