A to Z Quilt Challenge: I = Infinite Variety Quilt Show

For the month of April, I have taken up Frédérique's Quilting Patchwork and Applique challenge to blog daily (except Sundays) on a quilt topic related to a letter of the alphabet.  

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Many quilters are influenced by antique quilts.  Some of the best places to see them are at exhibits and quilts shows.  Probably the most memorable quilt show I ever attended was back in 2011 when the Infinite Variety exhibit was held here in New York at the Park Avenue Armory.  

Co-sponsored by the American Folk Art Museum, the show exhibited 651 Red and White quilts that had been collected by Joanna S. Rose.  Mrs. Rose had collected the quilts since the 1950s and the exhibited quilts were only part of her collection!  The exhibition was the fulfillment of an 80th birthday wish to Mrs. Rose from her husband and the show was a gift to the city!

Not only were the quilts phenomenal but the actual staging of the show was truly a wonder!  

Designed by Thinc Design, it was always hoped that the exhibit would travel but as far as I know it was never mounted again.  For a closeup walk through some of the exhibit, check out this video with exhibition curator Elizabeth Warren (and no, not the Massachusetts Senator!).  I was also fortunate enough to go to a local guild quilt show the following year and Mrs. Rose and the founder of Thinc Design gave a lecture on their collaboration in mounting the show.  

Of course, if you are interested in the actual quilts, you can purchase the book that came out four years later that provides detailed pictures of every quilt that was in the exhibit.  

It is also worth checking out the Infinite Variety tribute quilts made by Thelma of the Cupcake and Daisies blog and Barbara Black of the My Joyful Journey blog.  Thelma's was featured in an American Patchwork and Quilting magazine article and was accepted into the 2012 AQS show in Paducah, KY.  Barbara's was the featured quilt at the 2014 International Quilt Show in Houston, TX.   

Did you attend the Infinite Variety show?  Have you attended another memorable quilt show?  Has a quilt in a show inspired you to make a memorable quilt?

Linking up with Frédérique and the other Challengers at Quilting Patchwork and Applique.  Bonne journée!