Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: January 4, 2008
The holidays are over and often at this time of year something of a doldrums sets in. The nights are still dark for a long time and the ground is yielding little, even in our mild climate. For some, this time of year can be pretty depressing. Your Sedona Public Library is here to offer a bit of light and color in the form of the annual quilt display. If you need a pick-me-up, come to the Library and revel in the exquisite examples of this fabric art in its highest form.
For the past thirteen years, first under the guidance of Marg Elson and now new owner Patty Krause, the Quilters Store here in Sedona has assembled a quilt show of the very finest quilts created with loving care by local quilters. Each year brings new versions of this old art form with never a repeat. To be honest, when I look at these gorgeous quilts, I can only imagine the time it would take me to make one – probably a year or more. But, each year, local thread mavens often construct more than one, each nearly perfect in its execution!
Take a look at each quilt and notice the details of its construction. Stitching is exacting, points of fabric designs come together point to point perfectly, colors blend to create images that are almost photographic – the art of quilting is indeed a high art when you see the examples here at the Library.
Some quilts are fun, some are arty. Some are big and others are small. There are quilts for children, quilts that are dedicated to someone as a memorial. Some use traditional patterns and some are a single image such as a flower or a forest. All together, there are 62 in the display, hanging from the rafters in both the main room of the Library as well as the Si Birch Community Room, and even in our display cases.
A funny thing that happens when the quilts are hanging. People come to see them and they pick up a copy of the show’s catalog. Reading it and then craning their necks upward to view each quilt puts a fair number of folks on a collision course with one another. In its own odd way, it is a form of “meet and greet” occasion as people view, collide and apologize!
Quilts have a varied history and uses. For some, they are a way to simply stay warm in bed at night. For others, they are an art form and a crafty activity in their making. But, you may not be aware of their part in the history of our nation’s progress from a slave-holding society to one in which all people are free.
During the days of the Underground Railroad, quilts served as road signs and a form of communication between organizers of the freedom road and those who traveled along its length. Some quilts announced safe haven for travelers, others signaled the route to travel. Some designs would “speak” of danger on one side of the quilt, and when turned over, tell that the way was clear. This form of “signage” was hung on clothes lines, on window sills, or over fences to inform anyone savvy enough to know the ways in which the quilts spoke. Some of these signpost quilts are treasured family heirlooms, and the patterns of many stand as testaments to the determination of average people to overcome adversity while working towards freedom for others. Whether people know the history behind the designs, many continue to be made even to this day.
Sedona Public Library offers numerous books and videos on the techniques and art of quilting, as well as the part they played in our nation’s history. Quilting books are found by doing a simple search on the term “quilts” or even “Underground Railroad.” No matter whether you wish to learn about their history, learn new techniques and designs, or simply to admire examples of the fabric arts, the books in our collection can provide you with hours of reading and viewing pleasure.
Take a bit of time to visit the Sedona Public Library between now and Friday, February 15th to view the quilt display. Even after 13 years of showings here, there is always something new to see. Enjoy the superb skills of those who have made them, as well as the colorful antidote to the dark days of winter they offer. Visit your Sedona Public Library today. Just watch where you’re going as you walk around!
