Warm greetings to you all! As this is likely the last missive that I will pen on behalf of the Iowa Quilt Museum, I wanted to take a moment to bid you all farewell. It has been my great delight to serve as the director of the IQM for the past 5 years. I have loved my time here at the museum and will miss a great many things about it, chief among them the wonderful people that I have had the fortune to encounter.
Further down in today’s message, you’ll have the opportunity to meet Carissa Heckathorn who will be assuming the role of director on September 1st. Carissa is knowledgable and talented, and a very enjoyable person. She will very capably lead the Iowa Quilt Museum into its next chapter.
So, thank you all for your support of the Iowa Quilt Museum and the art and history of quilting, and thank you for helping to make the past five years a very fulfilling experience.
Best,
Megan Barrett, IQM Director (for three more days)
Only TWO MORE DAYS to see 40×40@40!
On Sunday, we close the doors on this exhibit of contemporary art quilts from the Manhattan Quilters Guild. If you’ve been procrastinating, you can’t anymore! If, however, you’re not going to be able to visit the Iowa Quilt Museum before this exhibit closes on August 29th, the Virtual Gallery Tour is the next best thing. The viewing fee for the Virtual Gallery Tour is $6, or FREE for IQM Members.
August 24th Virtual Iowa QuiltScape
On Tuesday we had a lovely online chat with Iris Gowen, Daphne Taylor, Kim Svodoba and Robin Schwalb from the Manhattan Quilters Guild. If you weren’t able to join us, you can catch the video right here. By the way, our YouTube channel contains all of our past Zoom sessions!
New Exhibit Opens Tuesday: Mary Barton’s Quilt & Textile Legacy
If historic American patchwork is the quilting style that resonates with you most, you’re in for a fantastic treat when we open our next exhibit on Tuesday, August 31st.
Mary Alice Pemble Barton (1917-2003) composed her life with fabric and thread and fueled it with curiosity and creativity. She started sewing her own dresses in grade school, often winning Iowa State Fair ribbons for her work. In 1967, Mary purchased a Wild Goose Chase quilt and a box of indigo scraps at an auction. This purchase marked the beginning of a new focus for Mary’s lifelong penchant for research and learning—collecting to facilitate quilt studies.
A self-taught quilter, Mary learned through trial and error. Inspired by her research into 19th– and 20th-century quilts and quilters, Mary designed her Heritage Quilt to document her ancestors’ journeys to Iowa. She became recognized expert as a textile researcher, lecturer, and quilt historian and was inducted into the Quilters Hall of Fame in 1984. However, Mary did not think of herself as an expert. “I’m a conservator,” she insisted. “I have studied and tried to save things for future historians.”
If you were a regular viewer of our Virtual Iowa QuiltScapes this past Winter and early spring, you’ll remember learning about Mary Barton from Millie Kehrli who was writing her doctoral thesis on Mary’s work. That presentation is what led us to this exhibit that Millie (now a PhD) has curated for us.
The exhibit will open to the public on Tuesday, August 31st, at 10:00am. However, if you’re a supporting member of the IQM, you can expect a sneak peek to arrive in your inbox Monday evening. (If you’ve been considering becoming a supporting member, NOW is a great time to do so!)
Meet Carissa Heckathorn, new Director of the IQM
The Iowa Quilt Museum is pleased to announce that Carissa Heckathorn has been hired as the museum director effective September 1st.
Carissa is a business professional with her Bachelors degree from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN, and her Master’s degree from the Carey Business School of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. She brings an abundance of marketing experience and community involvement to her new role.
Carissa began quilting in 4-H as a child, and has never lost her passion for the art. She cares deeply about the link that quilting provides to the past as the craft continues to evolve and attract new quilters.
In addition to keeping you up-to-date on all of the happenings here at the IQM, we also use our Iowa QuiltScape messages to share quilt-related news and events happening across our great state. Check it out!
Reiman Gardens Quilt Show
September 17, 18, & 19
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday & Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday
Reiman Gardens and the Iowa Quilters Guild will be hosting the three-day show which encourages the art of quilting through beautiful displays of garden-themed quilts created by talented Midwesterners. This juried show will award prizes from central Iowa sponsors in several categories, including “Patterns Unfolding”, “Petal Pleats”, “Folded Flags – Patriotic Themed Quilts” and “Origami Block Challenge.” Vendors demonstrating, displaying and selling fabric art will also be available. Experience the quilts along with 17 acres of living beauty throughout the Gardens, the indoor tropical Conservatory, and the enchanting Butterfly Wing.
No preregistration is required. Cost is free for members and Iowa State University students with ISU ID. Cost of admission for the general public.
Thank you for reading Iowa QuiltScape.
Please share us with a friend!
Iowa QuiltScape is a feature of the Iowa Quilt Museum’s periodical e-newsletter, and will highlight quilting events happening all around the state. The goal of Iowa QuiltScape is to provide a central place for Iowa quilting organizations to share upcoming events and help quilters and quilter lovers across Iowa reach a broader audience.
If you have an event you would like to share via Iowa QuiltScape, send your information to
Museum Director Megan Barrett: director@iowaquiltmuseum.org.
If you’re reading this but it didn’t come to your inbox, use the Email Signup form on the top of this page to make sure you’re on the list and don’t miss out on any Iowa QuiltScape news!
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