Fabric of a New Nation

 Two college friends of mine met at the Art Institute a couple of weeks ago but I had a previous engagement and could not meet them.  One of them told me about this exhibit that was there through May.

I am a member of the Art Institute and so I wanted to go but I couldn't save it for an Adventure Friday as my daughter will be teaching until the end of May.

Enter my sister, she and I decided to have a Sisters Only Adventure Friday and she let me choose what we would do first, go to this exhibit.

It was small, very doable, and had quilts and coverlets.  I enjoyed it all but took pictures of my favorites. 

 What surprised me was that these quilts were in such fabulous shape.  My quilts will never be in exhibits!


Can you imagine making something so amazing and then putting it away and never really using it?

 Even the color of the fabric is still bright and vibrant.


The quilts were in better shape than the coverlets which seemed to show wear where they were folded.  


Think of all the applique and then, put it away and keep it safe.

 If I could have chosen one quilt to take home, it would have been this one.


These are my colors, I love all blues but indigo really makes my heart race!


Plus I love the flying geese border.


These quilts were obviously ART not crafts for the home from the very beginning.

No child snuggled under this quilt, maybe rubbing it and then barfing on it.


This was made to be looked at and as a result we can see now examples of extreme quilting - women who could make something that did not have a function, it was just for the sheer beauty of it.My quilts are not like that but they have kept my family warm and been through the wash.  

I am glad someone kept these pristine and I am also glad, my quilts don't have to be.  There is room in the quilting world for both.  If you would like to see or read more about this exhibit, here's a link.  Art Institute