Rare Canton quilt to be displayed at upcoming show

The Rhododendron Needlers Quilt Guild will hold its biennial quilt show, “Traditions and Treasures,” on Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton.

The show will feature a special exhibit of the Martha Howard quilt, an antique treasure known as the oldest American-made, whole-cloth quilt. The quilt was donated to the Canton Historical Society around 1910 and over time was forgotten. A historical society employee discovered the box in storage at the society headquarters in 2008, along with letters documenting the quilt’s history. The quilt has recently undergone a year-long restoration project to return it to its former glory. It has been studied and documented by the Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project, securing its place in history.

The Martha Howard quilt is prized for its very rare salmon color and chintz-like wool. It has quilting patterns that were typical of the New England region at the time it was made. This is the first time the quilt has been released for a multi-day display open to the general public.

Local quilters Helen Curtis and Sue Goldstein, both residents of Canton, are among 50 fellow guild members from 30 different towns south and west of Boston who will have quilts on display at the show. Many of these quilters have produced prize-winning works and have had their quilts exhibited in regional, national and international shows.

Curtis has been quilting for over 10 years and has been a member of the guild for four years. This will be the first exhibition of her quilts.

Goldstein has been quilting for approximately 28 years and has been an active member of the guild for 10 years. She is also a member of a smaller group of women quilters that has been meeting weekly for over 20 years.

In addition to the individual works and the Martha Howard Quilt, there will be a special small antique quilt exhibit. The quilt show will also feature a boutique of items for sale, numerous vendors selling items related to quilting sewing, and jewelry. There will be sewing machines for sale, a guild boutique of handmade items, raffle tickets for a guild’s quilt and gift baskets, and a booth dedicated to selling handmade bags made by the guild members. Refreshments will also be available.

There will also be a certified quilt appraiser. Appointments must be made advance; go to www.rnqg.org for fees and to make an appointment.

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Mar 7 2013. Filed under Uncategorized. Both comments and pings are currently closed.