top of page
Search

Ah, What Stories the Fabrics Tell!

“Cleopatra’s Fan,” “Wild Blossoms,” “Paradise Crossroads,” and “Puppy Love” are just a few of the themes on display at the Annual Spring Quilt Show at the Visitor Center at Historic Fort Steuben that will run from April 7-21.

 

“Over thirty quilters from Ohio and West Virginia have submitted their creations for the exhibit,” explained Judy Bratten, Director of Historic Fort Steuben. “Over the years, we have seen an amazing variety of patterns and designs, each one unique. Many of them have stories attached!”

 

“We know that history can be found in letters, diaries, photographs, and artifacts. These quilts are also a source of knowledge about the times when they were created,” Bratten said. “From the designs, fabrics, and manner of quilting, we can learn about the everyday life of people in that time period. For example, during the Great Depression many quilts were make from feed sacks – quilters used whatever was available. Today there is an industry dedicated to producing fabrics and supplies just for quilters.”

 

The quilts in this year’s show reflect a variety of techniques as well as designs. Some are hand quilted and pieced while others are machine worked. Some include buttons and ribbons while others are made from tee shirts. Both men and women are participating in the show reminding visitors that quilting is a skill not limited to gender or age.

 

“For some people, quilting is a hobby as well as a way of artistic expression. But over the years, creating a quilt was a community project. Women would gather around the huge quilting frame and share their thoughts, troubles, and joys with each other as they stitched. That still happens today, more likely in a quilting class, but many work on the piecing on their own,” Bratten noted.

 

Visitors can vote for their favorite quilt at $1/vote. They can also purchase a $5 raffle ticket for a beautiful quilt made by local artist Helen Sweeney; the raffle will run until June 3rd.

 

The exhibit will be open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm and is free to the public. Historic Fort Steuben is located at 120 S. 3rd Street in Steubenville, Ohio. For more information call 740.283.1787.

 

15 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

New Year of the past-

Happy New Year and welcome to 2025! There is so much to look forward to in the new year at Historic Fort Steuben. And with that said, it...

Shop Local at the Holiday Market

Christmas at the Fort  has added more lights, music, photo opportunities, and displays to celebrate its tenth year. And we have...

Honoring Veterans

Monday, November 11, is Veterans Day - a U.S. legal holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars - and marks the day in 1918, when...

Comments


Contact Us

We would love to hear from you. Have you been to Historic Fort Steuben? Are you planning a trip to Historic Fort Steuben? Do you have a comment about your visit or a question for us?

Hours

Open from May through October, 
Monday - Friday from 10-4 • Saturday from 10-4 • Sunday from 11-4.


Fort Steuben Visitor Center and Museum Shop  is open all year, Monday - Friday from 10-4,
except Christmas - New Year's and other holidays.

Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Your message has been received. Someone will be in touch soon!

Historic Fort Steuben 
PO Box 1787 | 120 South Third Street
Steubenville, OH 43952

© 2021 Historic Fort Steuben

Designed by Chris Veltri, Pierce Media Productions

bottom of page