2011 Opportunity Quilt Available Now!

2011 Opportunity Quilt

The 2011 committee for the annual Stitches-In-Time quilt exhibit unveiled the annual Opportunity Quilt at the Museum last month. Committee members Phyllis Callaway, Annette Burchfield, Clara Carmichael, Susan Hyder, Mary Keasler, and Jackie Cory designed and pieced the quilt together. Margaret McLaughlin hand quilted the wall hanging which is currently on view at the Museum Center till March 12 in the Museum Store.

For a donation to the museum of $1.00 or $5.00 you have an opportunity to win the quilt. Donations may be made at the Museum Store during regular Museum hours. The drawing for the quilt will be on March 12^th.

The Museum Center's Appalachian Quilt Square "Double Square

The quilt’s theme celebrates the fact that Bradley County and the Museum Center are now part of the Appalachian Quilt Trail. The Opportunity Quilt, entitled Appalachian Quilt Trail Sampler Quilt, includes squares based on the twelve painted quilts found hanging on public buildings on Bradley County’s section of the Quilt Trail. The Opportunity Quilt which would make a beautiful wall hanging, measures 48” x 62.”

The Stitches-In-Time quilt exhibit is on display until March 12, 2011. 130 contemporary and antique quilts from throughout the southeast region are on exhibit.

Pumpkin Contest Winners Announced!

Halloween night has passed and the votes are in! We had a bumper crop of pumpkins this year and judging was particularly difficult.  Over 230 happy families attended last night’s Tall Betsy Storytelling evening to hear family friendly ghost stories, see the pumpkins, and see Tall Betsy.

The winners for this year’s Pumpkin Carving Contest sponsored again by our friends at Guthrie Pumpkin Farm and Corn Maze are:

First Prize: Tony Harris for Nosey

Second Place: Michael Graham for Pumpkin Spirit

Third Place: Skyler Schuyler for Where the Wild Things Are

Honorable Mention: Nick Webb for Mad Hatter

Thanks to everyone who participated and many thanks to Guthrie Pumpkin Farm and to the Cleveland Storytelling Guild!

Quilts By Residents of Garden Plaza on Display at Museum Center

Written and submitted by Lisa

A colorful display of quilts belonging to residents of Garden Plaza at Cleveland kicks off a series of lobby quilt exhibitions at the museum in collaboration with Stitches-in-Time. This year the museum decided to exhibit quilts in the lobby from residents of area retirement and nursing homes to give them the opportunity to share their treasures with the public.

Garden Plaza residents Margaret Browne, Dorothy Cate, Mary Frye and Icye Rominger contributed handmade creations and family heirlooms to the exhibition.  From quilts made by their own hands to those created by loved ones, they are the keepers of tradition and family history.  Quilts by Garden Plaza residents will be on display through February 13^th.

2010 Stitches-In-Time Quilt Exhibit Opens

Mary Ruth Younger with Her "Old Testament" Quilt

Written and submitted by Lisa

Last Thursday, the Museum hosted its members’ and exhibitors’ preview party for the annual Stitches-In-Time quilt exhibit. Over 60 people attended the evening event to view the quilts, see who won the awards, and enjoy some light refreshments.

Even though not all the quilters who won awards came to the preview party, many of them did attend.

The Winning Quilts

Crystal Rymer and Mary Ruth Younger with “Mary Goose Rymer”

This year Mary Ruth Younger won the annual Quilt Challenge, entitled “Quilting Your Faith.” Mary Ruth submitted a stunning quilt called “The Old Testament.” One of Cleveland’s best quilters, Mary Ruth often wins an award in our annual judged competition.

Mary Ruth and two of her friends, Crystal Rymer and Mary Margaret Stamper, picked up a ribbon for their second place finish in the Best Group Quilt division. Their quilt, entitled “Mary Goose Rymer,” depicts Mother Goose vignettes.

Phyllis Callaway, a relatively new quilter, has been winning quilting awards lately. Phyllis won third place in the “Quilting Your Faith” challenge with her beautiful quilt entitled “Rose Window.” Phyllis also won a second place ribbon for her quilt “Guilda” in the Best Use of Color and Design Division.

How the Quilts Are Judges

Phyllis Callaway with “Rose Window”

You might be curious about how the quilts are judged. Each year we select a panel of two or three judges from outside of Cleveland who are knowledgeable quilt judges. Before the judges arrive on judging day, the Museum staff and volunteers sort all the quilts by the divisions, which are:

• Antique
• Contemporary
• Wall Hanging
• Group
• Challenge

Then the staff and volunteers lay out the quilts on large tables, in stacks, with nothing that can identify the quilters to the judges. This process lets the judges remain impartial. The judges then examine the 80 quilts and determine which ones win the awards in each of the five divisions. The judges also chose a quilt for the Best Use of Color and Design award. Their task is daunting!

Museum Director Lisa Simpson Lutts and Jim Williams

We want to thank First Tennessee for again sponsoring the quilt exhibit. Thanks to the support of First Tennessee, the Museum is able to organize this wonderful exhibit for the community!

To learn more about the many quilt classes being offered each Saturday, check out the Museum’s  web calendar (http://www.museumcenter.org/calender.html). Or call the Museum at 423-339-5745.