Children’s quilts tell the stories of our lives

Quilts are important because they tell the stories of our lives, and that’s the message I’m trying to get across with the Children’s Quilts exhibit at the Quad-City Botanical Center which I curated for the Misssissippi Valley Quilters Guild.

The quilt show features more than 20 quilts with a mix of modern, antique and not quite vintage quilts made for children. But beyond admiring the beautifully constructed and historically significant examples of baby quilts, these quilts tell the stories of the women who made them and the children they were given to.

Next to each quilt hangs a card explaining the story behind the quilt. In some cases the maker is known, in others the owners can only speculate who made it for them years ago.

This topic is especially dear to my heart because I started quilting to make a handmade gift for one of my best friends who was expecting her first child. That first quilt wasn’t anything impressive, but I thought every baby needed to have a quilt of their own to snuggle with and provide them comfort.

It is my hope that these beautiful quilts, combined with the heartwarming stories behind them, will inspire a new generation of quilters to pick up their needles and thread.

The Children’s Quilt exhibit will be on display at the Quad-City Botanical Center through the end of the year. The Botanical Center, located at 2525 4th Ave., Rock Island, Ill., is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for ages 6 to 12, $1 for ages 3-5 and free for children 2 and younger. For more information, visit qcgardens.com or mvqg.org.

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