Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, and Report for America
WOODSTOCK — At noon on Wednesday, July 15, a crowd gathered in the picnic area of Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock to sing happy birthday to a museum exhibit that celebrates the Vermont quilting community.
The sewists had gathered for the Vermont Quilt Sampler Exhibition, an annual showcase of contemporary quilts made by Vermont artists. The museum marked 40 years of the exhibit with a program of activities including a curator-led quilt tour, strawberry ice cream making, historic quilt viewings and an interactive quilting demonstration with the Milk & Honey Quilters Guild, a nonprofit organization for quilters based in Middlebury.
The exhibition has grown into one of Vermont’s largest showcases of contemporary quilting, according to Christine Scales, director of education and interpretation at Billings Farm & Museum. Three years ago, the museum expanded the juried exhibition from Windsor County quilters to artists across the state, after the Vermont Quilt Festival closed in 2023.
Quilts submitted to the exhibition must have been completed within the past two years. This year, the jury received about 120 quilts and selected 59 for display.
“We’re not always looking for the best or the most technically skilled quilts. We really want it to be a sampler. We want the show to feel accessible,” Scales said.
The exhibition features a wide range of styles, though Scales said this year’s quilts lean toward more modern designs with bold colors and pictorial imagery.
Tony Luckino, a retired interior designer who now teaches ceramics at CraftStudies in White River Junction, blended tradition with modern influences in his quilt, “Modern Tokyo Cabin.” He began with the traditional “log cabin” pattern, which typically always starts with a red or yellow square, representing the hearth of the home, Luckino said.
“I kind of followed the rules but broke the rules every step of the way,” Luckino said.
Drawing inspiration from Japanese men’s clothing, Luckino incorporated a variety of angular, overlapping gray and white fabrics into rectangular shapes.
Although quilting has traditionally been dominated by women, Luckino said he thinks it’s great that more men are taking up the craft.
Many of the quilts on display tell deeply personal stories, something Scales said the jury considers alongside craftsmanship. Jurors read the stories submitted with each quilt before viewing the pieces themselves.
“One of the things that we’re hoping people take from the show is that quilts are very personal and often have a lot of stories within them and mean a lot to the people who make them,” Scales said.
Katie Kalata’s quilt, for example, honors her 15-year-old son’s achievement of earning his black belt in karate. The Norwich based sewist incorporated pieces of her son’s gi, the uniform he wore through years of practice.
Quilter Carol Devins of White River Junction spent 16 hours machine quilting Kalata’s piece using an eight-foot longarm machine.
“It was a joy to do,” Devins said. “I love this quilt. The colors are amazing.”
The Vermont Quilt Sampler Exhibition remains on display through September 7, with the People’s Choice and Staff Choice awards announced August 18.
Emily Rodin is an intern for UVM’s Community News Service through Report for America’s Local News Internship Program.