Melissa Wraalstadt, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, will treat us to a special showing of quilts from the museum’s collection that are seldom seen, in her lecture called “Treasures from the Vault.” Don’t miss this rare opportunity to view these special textiles!

The Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts is dedicated to educating the public about the artistic, cultural, historic, and social importance of quilts and fiber arts. They also seek to increase the awareness of historic structure preservation. Their repurposed 1850s farmstead is used to:

• Foster and inspire creativity by hosting exhibits of artists from traditional to contemporary techniques;
• Educate children and adults, from beginners to experienced fiber artists, in the time-honored crafts;
• Preserve quilts and other fiber arts items, maintaining our own collection and encouraging others to document their treasures.
• Maintain a library for researchers interested in exploring how quilts and other fiber arts have changed over time.

The museum’s roots extend back to 1988 when a group of quilters in southeastern Wisconsin founded the Wisconsin Quilt History Project, Inc., whose mission was to preserve the history and creativity expressed in quilts through documentation and research.  Since 1988, over 8,000 quilts and their stories have been captured.  These records provided the material for an award-winning book, Wisconsin Quilts:  History in the Stitches, (second edition, 2009).