Quilting retreats (protecting American traditions)

If you've browsed the Iron Horse Inn website lately, you may have noticed that we're starting to offer a regular series of artistic retreats or workshops in quilting, painting (water color, oil, pastel, etc.), polymer sculpting, scrapbooking, and other arts and crafts. These will be taught by masters in their fields from around the U.S. To drum up interest in this new sideline, Theresa and I traveled last week to Lewisville, TX so she could speak to representatives of the Texas Association of Quilt Guilds. I tagged along in my official capacity as "driver" and to give moral support - but I was fascinated by the beautiful quilts that some of the other speakers - professional quilting instructors - brought along. As they say, these are not your Grandmother's quilts anymore. If you have the stereotype of quilting as a boring activity invented to keep old ladies out of trouble, I urge you to check out some of the modern work going on, as well as the beauty of traditional quilting. As just one example, check out the website of Lenore Crawford, who will teach the first quilting workshop in January here at the historic Iron Horse Inn. These folks are true artists, and the artistic detail - to say nothing of the passion - in their work is just astounding. Theresa just put two of Lenore's quilts on display in the Inn's living room, for visitors to this historic old Craftsman home during Granbury's upcoming Candlelight Tour (Dec. 6-7 - don't miss it!).

Interesting sidenote: Some years ago, I accompanied Theresa into a quilting shop outside Austin. I got to talking with the owner, and was unpleasantly surprised to learn that many of the "traditional American quilts" on sale in the U.S. today are in fact made - you guessed it - in China! Once again, proud American workmanship is undercut by cheap foreign labor. To which I say: Support your American quilters! Check out America's rich quilting heritage by looking at some of the quilts on display here at the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Another great site to explore is the International Quilt Study Center & Museum in Nebraska...