Virginia Quilt Museum

Well, it started out as a favor to our daughter. Their three boys were spending a weekend 3 1/2 hours away at the other grandparents. It was spring break. 

On Tuesday April 5 they were to return but with both parents working that is a bit of a challenge. The transfer of the children is always done halfway and we have "retrieved" them once before. It is usually done around Waynesboro. I suggested to James that we should make an outing out of this for us.

The Virginia Quilt Museum just had 3 exhibitions showing which would be well worth seeing. It is located in Harrisonburg which is a bit far but combined with this reason a good idea. And combined with the prospect of lunch in a well-known German restaurant in the same town sounded even better. 

It was a rainy day but that didn't matter. The first stop was the quilt museum and of course it's all indoors. Oh, the eye-candy!

We were told when entering that we were allowed to take photos but not to post them on social media. The quilters might not like it. I contemplated this for a long time (5 weeks?) and decided to show just a few. 

A) I am not sure whether blogs are social media.

B) I really would like my quilting friends to know how well-worth a visit to this museum is.

C) One of the exhibitions is called "Inspired by Endangered Species" and I was quite sure that a German Quilter I sometimes exchange emails with would have something in the exhibition. It can be seen until July 15.

I think the first photo should definitely be allowed because it advertises this museum program. I searched through the website but could not find out more about it and just now wrote to them. Seems such a good idea (gifts shop fundraiser for the museum).

This was the first quilt we saw (not in an exhibition I think) and it is stunning. The next photo discribes it.

But the "Inspired by Endangered Species" really peaked my interest. I think there were a total of 180+ (?) little quilts. 

There was so much to see. We finally resorted to search in ring book which listed them all and we found Regina Grewe. I had seen a piece from her before (see here). That exhibiton was all about USA National Parks. And yes, I had purchased that book then.

Regina has a website well worth visiting. HERE! It is in German but you can change the language (on the left side). She has wonderful patterns and some are free. Right now she is posting a free challenge which looks like a lot of fun ... if you like paperpiecing (which I do but I still have to find the time). I always have to admire her designs.

Number 172.

The plan had been to have lunch at the German restaurant we had heard about supposedly very close by. Well, as luck had it Mondays and Tuesdays they are closed. But the museum lady knew of another German restaurant, a bit out of the way but doable. So we went to the "Edelweiss" in Staunton. 

We had fun but the cooking was not what my mother would put on the table. 

 Then off to the meeting place to receive/collect the three boys and back home until Mommy came to pick them up.