CALL FOR QUILTS: Interested in showing a quilt? May 15 at 5 p.m. is the deadline for consideration. Contact Ellen Flentge, at Crisp Museum for details, Email eflentge@semo.edu or call (573) 651-2260.

“Quilt Extravaganza” June 2-25 at Crisp Museum.

Two hundred quilts and sewn items will be displayed June 2 through 25, 2023 at Rosemary Berkel and Harry L. Crisp II Museum’s “Quilt Extravaganza”. Opening day, museum hours will be 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Quilting has become much more than repurposing fabric scraps with a needle, thread, and thimble. Antique Singer machines, quilted bears, bags, useful tools, and a large variety of quilts, such as traditional and paper piecing, samplers, cross stitch, three-yard quilts, collages, crazy quilts, landscape, still life, T-shirts and hand stitched antiques will be displayed.

This quilt exhibit is free and open to the public.

A closing reception is 1-4 p.m. on June 25 with a Bed Turning beginning at 3 p.m. A bed turning consists of having quilts stacked on a bed. Then, lifting them one by one and telling the information that is known, such as its maker, when it was made, the fabrics, patterns used, the story of its changing hands, and heartwarming tales.

A featured collection of 52 small quilts owned by Mary Meyer of Cape Girardeau made by her aunt, Lorraine Bakke, will be displayed. At the age of 92, Bakke challenged her guild in the Yucca Valley of California to make a quilt a week for one year. She included bright colors and some of her husband’s silk ties.

Tim Miller’s collection of vintage Singer sewing machines is a nostalgic sight. The models include 201, 15-90, domestic ’49, 99K, 99K, 327, Domestic 1949, and 221 featherweights in standard black and custom blue. All were produced in the 1940s and 195Os.

Crisp Museum will host stitching, workshops, and a demonstration:

Each Friday / Stitch at Crisp / 9 a.m.-4 p.m. / social time with other like-minded creators

• June 3-4 / 1-4 p.m. / Hand Sewn Quilted Bowl Cozie/ supplies provided / ages 10+ / no experience required/drop in make and take.
• June 10-11 / 1-4 p.m. / Quilted Casserole Tote / BYO Machine and supplies / ages 10+ / with sewing experience, preregistration, and $5 fee.
• June 17-18 / Place Mat with Pockets / BYO Machine and supplies / ages 16+/ with sewing experience, preregistration, and $5 fee.
• June 24 / 1-4 p.m. / T-shirt Quilt Demonstration / The easy part is collecting the T-shirrs, the rest is all about shape, color, and arrangement. / free and open to too the public.

Area quilt groups and fabric stores will have displays with information on their events such as classes, socials, meetings, and fundraisers.

Ellen Flentge, educator at Crisp Museum, is the curator of Quilt Extravaganza and has recently taken up quilting. “When I went to my first guild meeting, I felt the joy and positivity the participants shared in seeing each other’s quilts of all sizes. Thousands of locals are quilters and many, many more own quilts that they treasure. These beautiful works need to be seen. I am eager to help others begin using the tools and learning the quilting language, like the terms selvage, stack-and-whack, round robin, free motion, sandwich, jelly roll, and quilt sleeves,” Flentge says with a laugh.

Crisp Museum is located at 518 S. Fountain St. inside the Cultural Arts Center at Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Hours: Weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Weekends 1-4 p.m. First Friday of the Month 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Questions: museum@semo.edu (573) 651-2260.