March 28, 2024

Iowa Quilt Museum hosts Madison County Airing of the Quilts

WINTERSET – Winterset, birthplace of John Wayne, county seat of Madison County, home of the Bridges of Madison County and since 2016, the Iowa Quilt Museum – will play host to a community-wide event Saturday, April 28, featuring the display of hundreds of quilts. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., quilts will be on display in four covered bridges, inside and on the porticos of the historic county courthouse, in local businesses windows and on clotheslines, porches and fence rails throughout the community.

Visitors to the Airing of the Quilts can purchase a $20 wristband that will allow entry into additional quilt displays in local churches, a tour of historic homes featuring quilts, quilts from the collection of the Madison County Historical Society on display on the grounds of the Madison County Historical Museum and the current exhibit, “Playing with Purpose: A Victoria Findlay Wolfe Retrospective,” at Iowa Quilt Museum. Several of the churches will offer lunch for a modest price and markets with quilted items for sale.

The day will conclude with two events benefiting the Iowa Quilt Museum. At 4:30 p.m., the museum, located on the south side of the town square, will host a cocktail reception featuring Barbara Brackman and Deb Rowden, quilt collectors from Lawrence, Kansas. Brackman, author of many quilt publications including the Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns, and Rowden will present a trunk show of oddball quilts from the past – historic works of “art” one might consider wacky or out of control. Guests can purchase a ticket to the reception for $10 and enjoy the trunk show, Wolfe’s exhibit of quilts, plus drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Following the cocktail reception, a fundraiser dinner will be served at Winterset Presbyterian Church with a live quilt auction to follow. The auction will include both antique and contemporary quilts and quilts donated by Marianne Fons and Liz Porter of Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting fame; well-known Moda fabric designer Sandy Gervais and Mary Fons, Madison County native, founding editor of Quilty magazine and “Quilty” online tutorials, now currently editor of Quiltfolk magazine. Price for the dinner and auction is $35 or $40 for a ticket to the dinner and reception.

For further information, contact Iowa Quilt Museum Director Megan Barrett by email at director@iowaquiltmuseum.org, on the website at www.IowaQuiltMuseum.org, by calling 515-462-5988 or by mail at 68 E. Court Ave., Winterset, IA 50273.