Irish quilting at the Folk Art Center, March 15-17

Press release from the Folk Art Center:

Next month, lovers of Irish culture and St. Patrick’s celebrations will have the opportunity to quilt their own luck at the Folk Art Center. Up on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Southern Highland Craft Guild member Connie Brown will be showcasing a “Top of the Morning” quilt-themed exhibit from March 15-17 from 10-4pm daily. In honor of National Quilting Day and the beloved patterns and icons of Irish culture, Brown will share antique quilt tops and blocks in the center’s lobby.

Visitors are invited to bring in their own antique or vintage quilts as Brown is a quilt historian and AQS Quilt Appraiser. Her exhibit will feature unfinished items as “quilt tops give a unique look at the fabric and construction methods used during their time. Rarely has an antique quilt top been laundered. This leaves the fabrics unaltered, in their original state. The quilt tops and fabrics are more than quilt history, they are a part of American history and textile mill history.”

This opportunity to have an antique quilt evaluated by a quilt historian, will allow one to find out the age, pattern and any interesting facts. Brown will answer questions about care, storage, display, appraisal services, repair, and whether to quilt and finish an antique top. Contemporary quilts can be found throughout the Folk Art Center in the shop and upstairs in the galleries.

Throughout the three days Connie will also be demonstrating hand quilting, and visitors of all ages are welcomed to give it a try. Basketmaker Susan Taylor will also be demonstrating her processes at the Folk Art Center. Both makers avidly participate in the Guild’s daily craft demonstrations held from March-December. These educational interactions are part of the Southern Highland Craft Guild’s mission to cultivate the crafts and makers of the region for the purpose of shared resources, education, marketing and conservation.

To learn more about the Southern Highland Craft Guild visit www.craftguild.org.
To learn more about National Quilting Day visit http://quiltalliance.org/nationalquiltingday.
To learn more about Connie Brown visit www.craftguild.org/conniebrown.

Admission to the Folk Art Center is free. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in east Asheville. Headquarters to the Southern Highland Craft Guild, the Center also houses three galleries, a library, a craft shop and a Blue Ridge Parkway information desk and bookstore.