Quilts! Quilts! Quilts! Come to The Airing!

Whether you’re a quilter, a quilt lover, or someone who simply loves a road trip on a beautiful spring day, head for Winterset, Iowa, Saturday, April 27, for the second-ever Airing of the Quilts, a fabulous, one-day production of the Iowa Quilt Museum.

From 10 am to 4 pm, our small town (pop. 5276) will be (ahem) blanketed in quilts as we host over fifteen unique displays—including (for the second time in history) hanging within three of our famous covered bridges. Quilts will be aired in churches, at the public library, in historic homes, at Piece Works quilt shop, on the porticoes of our native limestone courthouse—smack dab in the center of the town square—and of course inside the museum itself, among other locations.

My assignment this year was to gather swag for the live auction* that follows the fundraising dinner that starts at 5 pm. (ALERT: the auction includes only about fifteen items—you can be home early!) In addition to several beautiful antique quilts, our committee has rounded up other neat stuff. For example:

• Have a finished top you’ve never managed to get quilted? You can bid on longarming by my personal machine quilter, with binding by . . . me!
• Need a T-shirt quilt for someone you love? An outstanding Winterset quiltmaker will work with the winning bidder to custom-make, machine quilt, and bind it, so you can give it to that special person now, instead of fifteen years from now!
• Been longing for a barn quilt block for the side of your home, shed, or garage? Come and bid on one.
• Want to solidify plans THIS YEAR to come back next year? Bid on Friday night lodging at the beautiful Judge Lewis Bed & Breakfast for The Airing 2020!

On April 27, I’m not sure where I’ll be—everywhere, I’m guessing. Find me, and I’ll give you a hug! For sure, I’ll be awarding a Quilt of Valor at Monumental Park (just a block off the square) at 2 pm, so come join other onlookers as we thank a Vietnam War veteran for his service. Before and after, I’ll be at the the museum and around the square, and at the dinner, trunk show, and auction, and would simply love to greet you!

Scroll down at this link to the red rectangular tabs to purchase advance tickets to The Airing of the Quilts displays (just $20) and the early evening event (just $40 for drinks, dinner, and a fun social time)—all in support of the beautiful Iowa Quilt Museum in historic Winterset!

*There’s also a Silent Auction of about a dozen items including your scissors sharpened and your sewing machine serviced by Joyce Franklin at Piece Works.