April 27th, 2019

Winterset, Iowa—birthplace of John Wayne, county seat of Madison County, home of the Bridges of Madison County and since 2016, the Iowa Quilt Museum—hosts an annual community wide event featuring the display of hundreds of quilts in dozens of unique and scenic locations. Visitors to the Airing of the Quilts can purchase a ticket that will allow entry into quilt displays in local churches, historic homes, and the current exhibit at the Iowa Quilt Museum. Additional displays around the community are available free of charge and include our famous Covered Bridges, our 1870s Courthouse and more!

Visitors to the Airing of the Quilts can purchase a $20 ticket that will allow entry into additional quilt displays in five local churches, a tour of two historic homes featuring quilts, a tour of the upstairs gallery at Piece Works Quilt Shop, quilts from the collection of the Madison County Historical Society on display on the grounds of the Madison County Historical Museum, and the current exhibit at the Iowa Quilt Museum, Quilts of Valor Salute. Several of the churches will offer lunch and markets with quilted items for sale.

With the purchase of a $20 ticket, visitors can enjoy quilt displays at the following locations from 10:00am-4:00pm

  • First United Methodist Church (+ beef burger lunch and fabric/quilt sale)
  • First United Presbyterian Church (+ chicken salad sandwich lunch)
  • Four Square Gospel Church (+ bake sale)
  • St. Joseph Catholic Church (+ pulled pork sandwich lunch)
  • St. Paul Lutheran Church (+ breakfast)
  • Zion Church at the Madison County Historical Complex
  • the home of Rhonda & Jeff Wagoner (621 W Jefferson)
  • the home of Larry & Debby Corkrean (622 W Court)
  • the home of Robin Paul (520 W Court)
  • the upstairs gallery of Piece Works Quilt Shop featuring the art quilts of Tony Jacobson and Joyce Franklin
  • the Iowa Quilt Museum exhibiting Quilt of Valor Salute (open until 5:00pm)

The following locations will feature displays that are free and open to all:

  • Cutler-Donahoe Bridge in Winterset City Park – quilts from Diane Murtha from Bettendorf, IA
  • Holliwell Bridge – quilts from Frond Design Studios in Cedar Rapids
  • Hogback Bridge – antique baby quilts from the collection of Cece Lewis
  • Madison County Courthouse – Tony Jacobson’s quilts will hang from the porticos and four bed turnings will feature quilts by Judy Martin of Grinnell, Linzee McCray of Iowa City, Sandy Pape of Mt. Vernon and Peggy Freligh, formerly of Winterset and Pella
  • Arbor Shelter in City Park, near the historic Bennett Cabin – log cabin quilts featured
  • Winterset Community Church parking lot – a display of quilts AND classic cars!
  • Winterset Public Library – quilts by Jean Nolte
  • store windows, clotheslines, porch rails and fences around the community
Tickets for the daytime displays can be purchased in advance to save time and see more quilts!
On the day of the event, tickets can be purchased at the Iowa Quilt Museum or the Madison County Chamber of Commerce.
Purchase an Advance Ticket to the 2019 Airing of the Quilts

5:00 pm – Benefit Dinner, Trunk Show, & Live Quilt Auction

The day will conclude with a fundraising dinner with a trunk show and live quilt auction. Social hour will begin at 5:00pm and dinner will be served at 6:00pm. A silent auction will take place during the social hour and dinner.

Following dinner, enjoy a trunk show of quilts from the collection at the Grout Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.

The evening will conclude with a live quilt auction. The live & silent auctions will include both antique and contemporary quilts as well as other quilt-related items:

  • Cathedral Window quilt (pictured below)
  • 1930s antique green & white Snail Trail quilt (pictured below)
  • Pair of wall quilts (pictured below)
  • Finish Your Quilt (LuAnn Downs quilts it, Marianne Fons binds it)
  • Antique tulip from the late Peggy Freligh collection (pictured below)
  • Custom T-shirt Quilt: includes design, piecing, professional machine quilting and binding
  • Seat on IQM bus trip to Lincoln or Amana/Cedar Rapids trip
  • 1930s Morning Glory quilt donated by Julie Silber (pictured below)
  • Quilt donated by Helios in Mt. Vernon (pictured below)
  • Half day free rental at Upstairs at The Heartland
  • Overnight at Judge Lewis House B&B for 2020 Airing of the Quilts plus event passes
  • Quilt donated by American Patchwork & Quilting – Patriotic Patchwork Quilt (pictured below)
  • Peacock quilt donated by Jean Nolte (pictured below)
  • Painted 4′ x 4′ barn block ready to hang
  • Peruvian wall-size textile (pictured below)
  • Brand new floor quilting frame, never used, still in box
  • Baby quilt (pictured below)
  • Tuition in future barn block painting class at museum
  • Framed sewing machine poster (pictured below)
  • One year family membership at museum
  • Life’s Little Merit Badge set by Randall Parkin (pictured below)
  • Service of sewing machine by Joyce Franklin & a scissors sharpening by “Get Some Bandages“

Download a printable pdf of auction item descriptions.

  • 1930s Morning Glory Quilt donated by Julie Silber
  • Antique Tulip Quilt donated by Dave Freligh
  • Framed Print
  • Peacock Quilt donated by Jean Nolte
  • Batik Quilt donated by Helios Quilt Shop
  • Peruvian Wall Hanging
  • Modern Baby Quilt
  • Antique Cathedral Window Quilt
  • Wall Hanging #1
  • Wall Hanging #2
  • 1930s Green & White Snail Trail Quilt

Tickets to the Fundraising Dinner & Auction are sold out but it’s not too late to make a bid for an item that you’d love to add to your own collection. Contact IQM Director, Megan Barrett, at director@iowaquiltmuseum.org to make arrangements for someone to bid on your behalf up to your pre-determined limit.