By David W. Keeber |
Sedona Public Library
Sedona, AZ - The holidays are over and
often at this time of year something of a
doldrums sets in. The nights are still dark for
a long time and the ground is yielding little,
even in our mild climate. For some, this time of
year can be pretty depressing. Your Sedona
Public Library is here to offer a bit of light
and color in the form of the annual quilt
display. If you need a pick-me-up, come to the
Library and revel in the exquisite examples of
this fabric art in its highest form.
For the past thirteen years, first under the
guidance of Marg Elson and now new owner Patty
Krause, the Quilters Store here in Sedona has
assembled a quilt show of the very finest quilts
created with loving care by local quilters. Each
year brings new versions of this old art form
with never a repeat. To be honest, when I look
at these gorgeous quilts, I can only imagine the
time it would take me to make one – probably a
year or more. But, each year, local thread
mavens often construct more than one, each
nearly perfect in its execution!
Take a look at each quilt and notice the details
of its construction. Stitching is exacting,
points of fabric designs come together point to
point perfectly, colors blend to create images
that are almost photographic – the art of
quilting is indeed a high art when you see the
examples here at the Library.
Some quilts are fun, some are arty. Some are big
and others are small. There are quilts for
children, quilts that are dedicated to someone
as a memorial. Some use traditional patterns and
some are a single image such as a flower or a
forest. All together, there are 62 in the
display, hanging from the rafters in both the
main room of the Library as well as the Si Birch
Community Room, and even in our display cases.
A funny thing that happens when the quilts are
hanging. People come to see them and they pick
up a copy of the show’s catalog. Reading it and
then craning their necks upward to view each
quilt puts a fair number of folks on a collision
course with one another. In its own odd way, it
is a form of “meet and greet” occasion as people
view, collide and apologize!
Quilts have a varied history and uses. For some,
they are a way to simply stay warm in bed at
night. For others, they are an art form and a
crafty activity in their making. But, you may
not be aware of their part in the history of our
nation’s progress from a slave-holding society
to one in which all people are free.
During the days of the Underground Railroad,
quilts served as road signs and a form of
communication between organizers of the freedom
road and those who traveled along its length.
Some quilts announced safe haven for travelers,
others signaled the route to travel. Some
designs would “speak” of danger on one side of
the quilt, and when turned over, tell that the
way was clear. This form of “signage” was hung
on clothes lines, on window sills, or over
fences to inform anyone savvy enough to know the
ways in which the quilts spoke. Some of these
signpost quilts are treasured family heirlooms,
and the patterns of many stand as testaments to
the determination of average people to overcome
adversity while working towards freedom for
others. Whether people know the history behind
the designs, many continue to be made even to
this day.
Sedona Public Library offers numerous books and
videos on the techniques and art of quilting, as
well as the part they played in our nation’s
history. Quilting books are found by doing a
simple search on the term “quilts” or even
“Underground Railroad.” No matter whether you
wish to learn about their history, learn new
techniques and designs, or simply to admire
examples of the fabric arts, the books in our
collection can provide you with hours of reading
and viewing pleasure.
Take a bit of time to visit the Sedona Public
Library between now and Friday, February 15th to
view the quilt display. Even after 13 years of
showings here, there is always something new to
see. Enjoy the superb skills of those who have
made them, as well as the colorful antidote to
the dark days of winter they offer. Visit your
Sedona Public Library today. Just watch where
you’re going as you walk around!
Past Library News issues:
Sedona Library Archive
[Home Page]
[News Home Page]
[Back to Community Page]