Artists reveal Florida's natural beauty through quilting on Feb.6

January 22, 2010

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Experience the natural beauty of Florida in a new way beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s newest temporary exhibit, “Quilting Natural Florida II.”

The exhibit features more than 100 original quilts showcasing Florida’s wildlife and plants. From sea creatures to birds, each quilt depicts part of the state’s landscape or wildlife. These stitched designs vary from literal to abstract creations.

Opening day will be filled with quilting-inspired crafts and activities. Quilters of Alachua County Day Guild members will demonstrate various quilting skills and techniques, and visitors may create their own paper T-shirt “quilt” using colorful geometric shapes.

The schedule is as follows:
Round Robin Demonstrations
(10:30 – 11:30 a.m.)
• Hand quilting on frame
• Quilt art bee
• Hand piecing
• Sit and sew
• Sandwich quilting

(1 – 3 p.m.)
• Hand quilting on frame
• Community service quilts
• Yo-Yos
• Sandwich quilting
• Lap quilting
• Sit and sew

Botany and the American Quilt
(1:30 – 2:30 p.m.)

In addition, Patricia Cox Crews, director of the International Quilt Study Center and professor of textile history and science at the University of Nebraska, will speak at 1:30 p.m. Her presentation “Botany and the American Quilt” will be followed by a book signing. An assortment of books Crews helped author will be available for purchase in the museum gift shop.

While much of nature is green, the exhibit’s quilts feature a variety of vibrant colors. Textile geese fly in front of an orange sun, bright-pink flowers seem to pop off the fabric and manatees glide through patches of blue and green.

Guild members have created a striking appliqué quilt of Florida birds and water creatures for the exhibit. Patterns for the individual blocks and the full quilt will be available for purchase at the museum gift shop.

Admission to “Quilting Natural Florida II” is $6 for adults ($5 Florida residents), $4.50 for seniors and Florida college students, and free for museum members and youth 17 and younger. ‘Quilting Natural Florida II’ is displayed in partnership with the Quilters of Alachua County Day Guild through April 25.

For more information about the exhibit, visit www.flmnh.ufl.edu/exhibits or call 352-846-2000.