Quilt exhibit opens May16 at Vanishing Texana Museum
May 13—Starting May 16 and running through the last week of June, the Vanishing Texana Museum will once again be hosting an exhibit of both historically and locally significant quilts.
The collection has been organized by Larry Lydick, museum curator, and Deborah Burkett,a member of the Cherokee County Historical Commission and author of "Quilts and Their Stories Binding Generations Together."
One of the quilts on display, on loan from Cindy Steele, dates back to the late 1800s, the Star Everlasting Quilt. Steele and husband Doug are owners of Steele's Feed and Seed in Troup. Cindy Steele's great grandfather's aunt made the quilt.
The exhibit includes a wide variety of quilts, from the 1800s to a more recent Blue Ribbon award winner.
Visitors to the museum will, immediately upon entering the museum, see a breathtaking 72 x 84 inch quilt consisting of over 62,000 individual quarter-inch squares, hand-pieced and hand-quilted in a single year. A magnifying glass on the display case allows visitors to clearly see the astounding workmanship that went into this creation.
A portion of the exhibit is built around a Texas theme, highlighted by the award winning "Texas Our Texas" quilt made by Laura Giles of Tyler. Another interesting entry is The "Texas Strip Happy" quilt by Linda Mayfield, also of Tyler. It outlines the shape of our state in strips of colorful themed materials. Both ladies are members of the Tyler chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.
A free exhibit guide is available for attendees to enjoy a self-guided tour of the quilts.
For those who have previously visited the museum, there will be many new items to see including a 1912 solid brass, National Cash Register used at the Crosby Furniture Store, a gift to the museum from the Crosby family.
Additionally, Mr. David Haberle has donated many items that were part of the Texas Basket Factory, including the steam whistle that would call workers to start their day.
Museum hours are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The museum is located at 302 S. Bolton in Jacksonville. Admission and parking are free.
