Grand Bend, ON– Over the years, the Lambton Heritage Museum has acquired an impressive collection of quilts, dating from the 1850’s to more recent years. This collection is seldom on display due to space restrictions and conservation concerns, but a new exhibition, “Between the Stitches… Lambton Quilts & Quilters” is providing visitors with a chance to view some of these rarely seen quilts.
Examine the "best quilts", those made for special occasions, and taken out only for important events, cherished and carefully passed down from generation to generation. Discover the "crazy quilts", made of irregularly sized and shaped pieces of silk, satin or velvet, rich in colour and textures that illustrate the extravagance of the Victorian Era, some made of bits and pieces of personal pasts like silk neckties, show labels or lace from a wedding dress. There are examples of pieced and appliqué quilts such as Log Cabin, Grandmother’s Flower Garden and Rose of Sharon, as well as contemporary art quilts, designed to be hung as wall art, featuring creative use of colour and fabric, as well as a wide variety of embellishment techniques.
Many of the quilts selected for this exhibit speak to us about rural society and its ties that bind: women’s clubs and church groups, marriages and wedding anniversaries, neighbours and family, bond drives and war efforts are examples of the many landmarks, events and lives that were celebrated with the production of a quilt. Some of these quilts were produced as fundraisers for special causes such as the war effort or a church project and contain an excellent record of communities from throughout Lambton County. Names like the Khaki Girls Club, Happy Hour Mission Band and Uttoxeter Red Cross are a reminder of earlier times when people came together for a common cause and are now one of the last enduring reminders of a rural community or church.
From now until October 12, 2009 the Lambton Heritage Museum will share the results of thirty years of collecting the quilts of Lambton County. Among the many items that museums collect, few tell as personal a story as quilted bed coverings: entire generations of many a family have lain beneath the warmth of a lovingly hand-stitched quilt. Their stories are here for us to enjoy and to learn from. We invite you to look…and to listen.
June 25th to June 28th Special Feature:
The North Lambton Quilters’ Guild is excited to once again share its love of quilting with the public. To celebrate the 20th anniversary, the Guild is back at the Lambton Heritage Museum with a new quilt show, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 25th to 28th. Since the NLQG’s last public show in 2006, there has been a wealth of exciting work produced by both new and long-standing members, showing a variety of interests, styles and methods of quilting, from traditional to fine art quilting. This new show will feature over 180 quilted items, including 50 bed size quilts. Many of these are derived from the monthly guild programme, special workshops and exchanges. For four days only, come out and enjoy two shows, stay for lunch, seek out sewing supplies or bargains and admire the work of other talented quilters, as you take in the impressive handiwork on display at the North Lambton Quilters’ Guild Show at the Lambton Heritage Museum.
The Lambton Heritage Museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., weekends and holidays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5. adults, $4. seniors/students, $3. children, $15. family. You will find the museum 8 km south of Grand Bend, on Highway 21. For more information visit www.lclmg.org, call 519-243-2600 or email heritage.museum@county-lambton.on.ca
For more information about Lambton County, visit www.lambtononline.ca
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Contact:
Gwen Watson
Office/Event Co-ordinator
Lambton Heritage Museum, County of Lambton
Telephone: 519 243-2600
email: gwen.watson@county-lambton.on.ca