Description
This is not our big annual show. It is a beautiful month-long exhibit.
KNOXVILLE, TN -- In honor of National Quilting Day on March 16, members of the Smoky Mountain Quilters of Tennessee (SMQ) are mounting an exhibit of their quilts from March 1-28, 2024, at The Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The more than 30 stunning quilts illustrate the breadth of hand and machine techniques and the many reasons for making a quilt. Some are prize-winning works of art, while others were made for pleasure and daily use.
Every quilt has a story behind it, and each quilter shares the inspiration for their creation as part of the exhibit. For example, one quilt commemorates 30 years of work by missionaries to translate the Bible into the native language for the people of Papua, New Guinea. Another quilter used leaves collected from her birthplace in Norway for a resist dyeing technique.
“The exhibit is a celebration of the diverse talent of our membership and the many reasons we quilt,” said Merikay Waldvogel, SMQ member and the exhibit organizer. “None of us quilt solely for ourselves. It is a way to express our feelings through our art and to communicate with others when words are not enough. We hope this exhibit helps increase understanding of how quilts enhance our lives and bring us pleasure and comfort, whether we are the makers or the recipients of these beautiful works.”