Their work, as well as the work of other quilters, will be on display April 28 and 29 as part of the fifth annual Quilt and Needle Arts Show. While the show is intended to exhibit the work of quilters throughout the ages, as well as more recent creations, Sew Grateful Quilters will have a presence at the show. Leger started Sew Grateful Quilters after learning of the Quilts of Valor program from her son, who was with the 101st Airborne and spent his first year deployed in Iraq. Once Sew Grateful Quilters grew to as many as 15 people, Leger said, she brought up the idea of starting a quilt show at Winchester Center Congregational Church. In the case of Quilts of Valor, this is not much of a departure – Leger said “we’ll have 10 or more ready to show off in the show, and we’ll mail those off too” – but some of the quilts at the show have much more history.

Faye Dant, director of the Hannibal African-American Life Project, reported Bates had five slaves. Dant was pleased to report that when she discussed having pictures from the project displayed at the Hannibal Arts Council, Executive Director Michael Gaines offered to host an exhibit exclusively of the project. Johnson gave a dramatic portrayal of a fictional slave he created to illustrate how the underground railroad in the Hannibal area used quilt patterns, music and other secret codes to free the slaves. Terrell Dempsey, who has championed adding black history to Hannibal’s museums and wrote a book, “Searching for Jim,” said he would like to see Hannibal have a memorial to Twain’s character, “Jim. Minnie Smith, pastor of Willow Street Christian Church, outlined the Hannibal Oral History Project, which gave students an opportunity to learn about racism in Hannibal.

This fabric is part of textile designer Brigitte Heitland’s new “Juggling Summer” collection for Moda Fabrics. Brigitte Heitland designs patterns, kits and fabric for the modern quilter through her Zen Chic business in Werther, Germany. A commercial booth display for Zen Chic, a company in Werther, Germany, shows modern quilts in a sophisticated, minimalist setting. Brigitte Heitland, who also is a textile designer and quilter, has developed a brand she calls Zen Chic. Her “Juggling Summer” fabric line, used in a quilt titled “White Labyrinth,” also is shown in the March/April 2012 issue of Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting magazine. If you’re looking to kick back, simplify your life and maybe even “unwire” a few gizmos from time to time, I’d have to say that Heitland has invented the perfect app for that.

Rarely exhibited quilts from the society’s collection and from museums, private collections, guilds and quilters across the North Shore will be on display during this two-day event. Uncommon Threads will also feature vendors from local quilting, sewing, and needlework shops; heirloom quilt appraisals; quilting demonstrations and much more. Quilters, local guilds and quilting groups that have created a quilt inspired by a traditional quilting pattern or technique, or who have an antique quilt that fits this theme, are invited to exhibit in Uncommon Threads. PHS is also seeking local vendors to showcase products and services. Vendors will provide Uncommon Threads attendees with the opportunity to shop for the latest in fabrics, notions, patterns, sewing machines and other tools. Uncommon Threads 2012 is anopportunity for quilting groups and vendors to showcase their work to quilters, textile enthusiasts, collectors, Peabody Historical Society members and the general public.