Quilting: A Strong-Held Tradition in Armstrong County

The Armstrong County Historical Museum and Genealogical Society hosted its second Quilt Show. Displayed by Country Quilters of Dayton, Armstrong County Arts Council and local quilters, there were antique and new quilts alike on display.  Originally hoping for around 20 submissions, they ended up with over 50 quilts, and even had to turn many more due to space. 

The show was spearheaded by Cathy Strate, who shared that her “hope is to expand this next year. So far the attendance has exceeded our expectations. It has brought many people into the museum who have never been there before.”

Fiber arts are alive and well in our region, made clear by the efforts of those at the Armstrong County Historical Museum.

At the left, the mint green squares quilt was a joint effort. The squares were embroidered by Loretta Baker in the 50’s, who is now 96 years old. The 48 squares represent each state, excluding Alaska and Hawaii as they weren’t yet states at the time of the quilt’s creation. Louise, her daughter, assembled the quilt.

If you would like to see more Armstrong County traditional arts practices, keep an eye out for programming in the upcoming year. We will continue to post feature articles about activities and events. Or, click here to learn more about the Armstrong County Historical Museum and Genealogical Society, and click here for more information about the wide variety of places to visit and things to do in Armstrong County.