March & April Sprang Past
from Director Melody Reels
March and April have been busy and exciting months at the Iowa Quilt Museum. We continued welcoming visitors and sharing our current exhibit, In Flanders Fields, which has brought together an extraordinary collection of quilts and stories. Behind the scenes, much of our time has also been focused on preparing for the Iowa Quilt Festival and planning for the season ahead.
Our monthly giveaways have added a little extra fun for our guests as well. March wrapped up with our giveaway grab bag, and April’s weekly drawing for a complete quilt kit has been going well. Looking ahead, May’s giveaway will give visitors a chance to enter a drawing for our upcoming bus trip to the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska.
We are grateful for the continued support of our visitors, artists, donors, and community partners. It is always a joy to share the museum’s mission of celebrating quilting, history, and community with everyone who walks through our doors.
Iowa Quilt Festival
We Have Room For You!
Wednesday June 2 through Friday June 5, 2026
Airing of the Quilts June 6, 2026
Excitement is building for this year’s Iowa Quilt Festival, and while our Quilt Retreat is officially full, there are still plenty of ways to join in the fun!
We still have room on our bus trip to the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln on Tuesday, June 2. This exciting day includes a behind-the-scenes tour of historic quilts in storage, a guided tour of current exhibits, breakfast and lunch, and stops at a couple of quilt shops along the way.
We also have openings in many of our classes and lectures throughout the festival, June 3–6. This year we are offering 13 classes taught by an outstanding lineup of instructors including Tony Jacobson, Pati Fried, Sharon Wasteney, Sandi Griepenstroh, Joyce Franklin, Janet Pittman, Debbie Simpson, and Stevan Rounds. New offerings include a children’s class, a Featherweight maintenance class, and a barn quilt painting class for non-quilters.
Our lecture series will feature Karla Overland of Cherrywood Fabrics, sharing insights into the internationally known Cherrywood Challenge exhibit, as well as artist and fabric designer Sue Penn, who will discuss her journey from fine art to fabric design.
There’s still time to be part of this inspiring celebration of creativity, learning, and community! To view the full schedule or register for the bus trip, classes, or lectures, click the link below.
Online Class with Sujata Shah!
Sujata Shah’s Raw Edge Kawandi Appliqué Online Class – | All Levels
Inspired by the hand-stitched Kawandi quilts of the Siddi community of India, this workshop explores an organic, improvisational hand-stitched appliqué process using raw-edge fabric scraps. Participants will focus on texture, composition, and visible edges while creating a vibrant, contemporary piece rooted in tradition.
Dates & Times:
Saturday June 20th
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Central Time)
Online Class
Through The Looking Glass Kaleidoscope
Three Day Class with Jolene Green
Join renowned quilt instructor Joleen Green at the Iowa Quilt Museum for a vibrant 3-day workshop where you’ll create your own stunning Kaleidoscope Quilt in our newly updated classroom space, the very first class to be held there! With more than 100 Kaleidoscope quilts to her credit, Joleen brings expert techniques, helpful tips, and years of experience to quilters of all skill levels.
Dates & Times:
Friday June 26 -12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday June 27 – 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday June 28 – 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Iowa Quilt Museum, upstairs
2026 Capital Campaign
As we celebrate the Iowa Quilt Museum’s 10th Anniversary the year, we’re excited to share continued progress in our 2025-2026 Capital Campaign. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, we are now just $5,000 away from paying off our mortgage, a major milestone on our journey toward our $100,000 goal. We are also only $2,000 away from reaching 30% of our fundraising goal, an exciting step forward for the museum’s future.
Our campaign focuses on strengthening the museum’s long-term sustainability by eliminating mortgage debt, addressing pandemic-era expenses, and completing our upstairs space for classes, workshops, and community gatherings. The momentum we are seeing is truly inspiring.
Every contribution, large or small, makes a meaningful difference. We are deeply grateful for the many generous donations from quilt companies, quilt artists, and our local Winterset community, as well as supporters near and far. Thank you for helping us build a strong and sustainable future for the Iowa Quilt Museum.
Quilt Raffle for a Cause
Support Soroptimist International of Des Moines and win a beautiful handmade quilt! Their current raffle features a charming pinwheel quilt created with authentic 1930s and 1940s vintage feed sack fabrics on a new muslin base, lovingly made by one of their members. Proceeds benefit Soroptimist’s Dream Programs, which help provide women and girls with access to education and opportunities for economic empowerment. To learn more or purchase raffle tickets, contact Soroptimist International of Des Moines.
2026 Exhibits
Now – July 5, 2026 – In Flanders Fields The Poppies Grow: Cherrywood Poppy Quilt Challenge & Quilts of Valor
This exhibit will showcase all the quilts from the Cherrywood Poppy Quilt Challenge. The challenge is an annual event inviting quilters from around the world to create 20-inch square quilts using a select palette of Cherrywood’s hand-dyed fabrics. The 2024 challenge theme was “POPPY,” and features a stunning collection of reds, greens, and grays inspired by the symbolic flower. The quilts honor U.S. veterans and their sacrifices, and will be displayed alongside several Quilts of Valor, whose motto is “Quilts = Healing.”
July 7, 2026 – October 18, 2026 – Iowa Quilt Museum Retrospective
In 2026, the Iowa Quilt Museum will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a special exhibition featuring quilts by artists who have shown with us over the past decade. This commemorative exhibit will highlight the creativity and craftsmanship that have shaped our story—from traditional works to contemporary innovations. We look forward to celebrating this milestone and honoring the makers who have inspired our first ten years.
2026 Iowa Quilt Museum Events
Look for continued updates on our website and social media about what we have to offer in the coming year:
- Stitch In at the Museum – every 2nd Thursday of the month.
- 2026 Iowa Quilt Festival Kicking off with a bus trip on Tuesday, June 2, to the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska. Wednesday, June 3 – Friday, June 5: Quilt retreat, classes, & lectures. Grand finale on Saturday, June 6: Airing of the Quilts.
- Sujata Shah’s Raw Edge Kawandi Appliqué Online Class June 20
- Jolene Green’s 3 Day Through The Looking Glass Kaleidoscope Class starting on Friday June 26 through Sunday June 28
- 4th Annual Share Your Stash Sale on November 7, 2026 – we will are taking donations now.
Marianne’s Musings
Founding IQM Board Member Marianne Fons is a member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative, a collection of over 70 professional writers and journalists. She writes a (mostly) weekly Substack column titled “Reporting from Quiltropolis.” (Quiltropolis = Winterset.) Check out Quiltropolis by clicking on the button below, and subscribe if you like.
