46th Annual Quilt Show on May 1 – 3, 2026 in Pacific Grove, California Orientation by Ruth Paget
Quilts by the Bay, the 46th Annual Quilt Show organized by the Monterey Peninsula Quilters Guild will be held on May 1 – 3, 2026 at Chautauqua Hall in Pacific Grove, California.
For information about submitting a quilt and/or eventual ticket information, check out the Guild’s website below, which also has information about the organization’s meetings and seminars:
https://www.mpqg.org/quiltshow
For general information on quilting, especially in the United States, the Kids Britannica website below gives a good introduction. I like the discussion of patterns used in different regions of the US, which is sometimes inspired by religious beliefs.
https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/quilt/276621
At its most basic level, many quilts begin as a square of fabric that is sewn together with other squares to form the top part of a quilt. For a discussion of squares and quilt frames, tied quilts, and crazy quilts, see the fabric chapter in Old-Time Country Wisdom & Lore: 1000s of Traditional Skills for Simple Living by Jerry Mack Johnson (Published by Harvard University Press).
This book also provides 8 different geometric patterns that can be used for quilt making as well as a drawing of the common stitch used to sew and connect quilt squares. Quilting has traditionally been used to “recycle” fabric from worn out clothes, but new fabric is often used in projects that are classed as art.
The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. has gathered many documentaries about quilting in the US. Use the search feature to look up quilting oral histories for your state or just enjoy browsing through the youtube videos at the website below.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_7JvsKwCWfk
Finally, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England has put together An Introduction to Quilting and Patchwork that draw on its collections from Europe, India, and the Far East. The site discusses the use of patchwork through the ages, even including as padding under suits of armor for warmth and added protection from weapons.
For an informed yet chatty discussion of the history of quilting, check out the Victoria & Albert Museum website below:
Gong through the information above on this site will enhance your appreciation of the quilts on display at the 46th Annual Quilt Show on May 1 – 3, 2026 at Chautauqua Hall in Pacific Grove, California.
Note: I first learned about slave quilts that are believed to hide landmarks along the Underground Railroad in their design at the colonial Frances Land House in Virginia Beach, Virginia at a temporary exhibit when I lived there. The following video from the LA County Library in California also deals with this he topic of slave quilts:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XLo05HGd43c&t=315s&pp=2AG7ApACAQ%3D%3D
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games
