World of Quilts celebrates the contemporary sewing community

On May 6 and 7, the Northern Star Quilters Guild will present the World of Quilts—A Celebration of Traditional, Modern and Art Quilts at the Purchase College Gymnasium.

For many people, quilts summon images of women in bygone ages carefully sewing by a fireplace, but the show’s chair Lisa Alfonzetti says the tradition—and sewing in general—gained many new adherents during and after the COVID-19 lockdowns.

“What we have on display is really a mix of traditional, but there’s also a lot of contemporary, and a whole category of art quilters. There is a range of talent among this local group,” says Alfonzetti, who has run the Pins and Needles sewing store in Mount Kisco for 36 years. “The public will be mind-blown by the variety. There will be many pieces that they’ll walk up to and react with, ‘Wow!’. This will not be what they’re expecting to see when someone says ‘quilt show.’”

The show will also include a number of lectures and demonstrations, including guest speaker Meg Cox, as well as an invitational exhibition, UPCYCLED:  Made from Repurposed Materials, which features the work of Natalya Khorover and Karen Griska.

Beyond stitching fabric together, Alfonzetti says that quilting fosters a community of people who gather to share creativity. In fact, the Guild has almost 200 members who regularly meet for workshops and shows.

“We have guilds coming in by bus to view this show – people traveling together with others, not just getting in their cars and making it an independent thing,” said Alfonzetti. “There is a lot of sharing and a lot of support. And a lot of celebrating each other’s accomplishments. That’s a huge part of it.”

Entry into the art of quilting can begin at any age.

“I’ve had 70-year-old women come in to learn how to quilt, to start a new hobby at that stage in their lives. I never want to intimidate people [into believing] that if you’re not this accomplished quilt artist, then this isn’t for you,” she explains. “It really encompasses all people who are interested in working with fabric.”

For many quilters, sewing offers a break from the frantic multitasking of daily life.

“When you learn that a creative process can provide a great deal of therapy [when] dealing with very hectic lives, it becomes a very important part of someone’s lives that they set aside time for; to cut up fabric and sew it back together again. Especially since COVID put everything on hold and made people reevaluate things. We’ve had more people than ever trying to get into the hobby.”

According to Alfonzetti, “it’s not about having a quilt at the end; it’s about the process and what your mind does when you’re going through a creative process. It’s a journey.”

About ArtsWestchester

For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.

For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.