Fabric, Thread and Imagination

Move over traditional quilt patterns and make room for contemporary expressions of a centuries-old craft. Thanks to members of the Treasure Coast Modern Quilt Guild, last year’s Quilt: Beach 2014 exhibit held at the First Presbyterian Church provided a showcase for what can happen when fabric, thread and imagination soar beyond perceived boundaries. 

“People came to the show and you could see the reaction on their faces when they saw all of the quilts. They were shocked since most of them thought of quilting as something their grandmothers did,” says Shelagh Traill, founder and president of the local guild and a major presence behind the exhibit. “Five of us put the show together in less than two months, and we worried that we wouldn’t have enough pieces
to display.”

They needn’t have given it a second thought as quilters from around the state responded to their call for entries, sending in examples of their finest work. Bold colors, innovative grid work and improvised piecing were the order of the day, awards were presented, and quilts were purchased. The community’s response was so overwhelmingly positive that members wasted no time planning for Quilt: Beach 2015.