Part 3A? What does that mean?!? Well, it means that my visit to The New England Quilt Museum cannot be summed up in one post, so there will be a Part 3B coming up--probably in October, because my next post will be my September Monthly Mini. I have a little surprise planned for that post, so that is why I will save the rest of my museum post for early October.
If you have been to The New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts, these are familiar sights to you. We parked on the back side and this sight let us know we were parked in the right place.
Since we arrived a few minutes before opening, we walked around to the other side of the building, past the front entrance, and waited in this pleasant little area for the minutes until opening to pass.
There were two featured exhibits and I think each one deserves their own post. I will begin with "Quilts Japan".
The quilts were incredible. I had such a hard time choosing which ones to share, but finally narrowed it down to my top 10 favorites. They are in no particular order. Blogger does not cooperate anymore on photo placement, so we will have to take what we get here. The documentation, and any close-ups I may have taken, will follow each quilt.
This one was so vibrant. It really took my breath away! I can't believe I didn't get any close-up shots.
When you look at the close-up of this below, the stitching doesn't seem complicated. But the way it was put together just radiates movement and flow.
I loved this--a traditional design (Pickle Dish) used in different ways. And I hope you caught the lovely appliqued butterflies flitting across the surface. Again, no close-ups. What was I thinking?
A wonderful Baltimore Album in Japanese fabrics. Meticulous work!
This has a very playful feel, and the name seems to back that up.
I've always loved a good Mariner's Compass, so this really caught my eye. Wish I had centered the photo better.
The last line of the description fits this quilt perfectly. Maybe that was why I was so drawn to it.
If you can't tell from the photo, the energy practically vibrated from this quilt. I almost expected to be able to hear it.
This show had so much variety, and was very beautifully displayed. I only had a little over an hour to see everything the museum had to offer. I solved that problem by taking a photo of everything that caught my eye, and also a photo of the documentation. And sometimes, when I thought of it, I took a close-up or two of a quilt. That way when I came home I could study the photos and read the documentation closely.
I had been "warned" that The New England Quilt Museum wasn't large, but I have to say, it did NOT disappoint! The quilts were well hung and lighted. The documentation was easy to read. The flow through the museum was well-planned, and the Museum Store was very tastefully stocked. I couldn't have been more pleased. The exhibit I've shared here is no longer available there, but the current exhibit is of "Quarantine Quilts." Yes, it includes Wendy Reed's wonderful "Community Supper." Wish I could go back and see that hanging in the museum! And the incredible quilts of Kathy Cray are still there. I'll share those with you in part 3B. :)
Stay tuned for the next post on Thursday (hopefully), where I will have my Monthly Mini, and also invite you to participate in a challenge with me.
Until next time, be kind, gentle and understanding, in a world where those qualities are too often forgotten.
Janet O.
p.s. You should be able to click on any photo to get a closer look!
