Fabric Patch, DAP, HIT collaborate for quilt show

By MEGAN HUGHES

[email protected]

Ironwood - The Historic Ironwood Theatre hosted a showing of the film "How to Make an American Quilt" as part of a collaboration with the Fabric Patch and the Downtown Art Place (DAP) Saturday.

As part of the collaboration, a gallery of quilts was put on display in the entryway of the theatre. The event started off as just the gallery showing, but expanded when theatre operations manager, Bruce Greenhill, found the film to show.

The exhibition's collection includes quilts of various sizes, some ranging from a foot across to being large enough to touch the floor. The collection was created by submissions from artists with ties to the Fabric Patch in one way or another.

"Some of them (the quilt designers) are local, but some aren't, but they are all friends or customers of mine," Joanne Kuula of the Fabric Patch explained. "They are going to be displayed here until the 27th." All of the quilts have stories behind them, tied into the lives of their creators.

One such quilt was submitted by Joe Beedlow of Ashland, Wis. The quilt, titled "Keeper of the Lights" features printed fabric that carries images of various lighthouses, and was the last quilt he made with his mother.

"The collaboration with the DAP has been great, because people have found us that didn't know we were here, and people have found the DAP who didn't know they were here." Kuula said.

When asked about future plans for the exhibition, Kuula expressed high hopes for the event. "It could become a yearly event," she said. "I would love to do a show of quilts from the local guild, or do one of a children's challenge."

The quilts will remain on display until Oct. 27 in the entry hall of the Historic Ironwood Theatre, and are able to be viewed during the hours that the Downtown Art Place is open, from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.