Museum to Host Quilt Show, Special Exhibit at Oswego PrairieFest

Submitted by the Little White School Museum:

When you’re making your PrairieFest plans, don’t forget to include a visit to Oswego’s historic Little White School Museum.

Owners of treasured quilts are invited to display them at this year’s PrairieFest Quilt Show, during PrairieFest weekend, Friday through Sunday, June 13-15, at the museum. Show admission will be free.

The Quilters Dozen Quilt Group, organizers and sponsors of the annual show, are seeking handmade, machine made, new, heirloom, and otherwise treasured quilts for this year’s show. Each year’s show attracts dozens of colorful examples of the craft of quilting.

There is no cost to enter quilts in the show.

Quilt owners should drop off their quilts, each accompanied by an entry form, on Wednesday, June 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the museum, 72 Polk Street (Polk at Jackson), in Oswego. At the end of the show, quilts may be picked up, between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 15.

Quilt show entry forms are available at all Oswegoland Park District locations and are also available for on-line download at http://www.prairiefest.com/entry-forms.htm. Forms will also be available during quilt drop-off on Wednesday, June 11.

Besides a large display of modern and antique quilts, the show will also feature certified quilt appraiser Chris Moline, who will appraise quilts during the show on Friday and Saturday for $50 each.

Quilt show hours will be Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, June 15 from 12 noon to 4 p.m.

In addition to the quilt show, the Quilters Dozen is also sponsoring their annual PrairieFest Quilt Raffle. Tickets, $1 each or six for $5 are now on sale from quilt club members and at all Oswegoland Park District offices. The winning raffle ticket will be selected at 4 p.m. Sunday, June 15, at the conclusion of the PrairieFest Quilt Show.
The annual raffle is the group’s main fundraiser. In the past, proceeds have benefited the Little White School Museum and the PrairieFest community celebration.

This year’s queen-size quilt is entitled “Seasons,” and is a traditional Tree of Life-inspired design. The Tree of Life pattern has been used in the United States from the early 1800s to the present, often used as wedding gifts. The 2014 PrairieFest Quilt features a pattern of colorful seasonal trees set in a cream background representing balance and harmony, and suggesting unity and longevity.
Special exhibit honors Oswegoland school classes from years ending in “4”

This year, friends and relatives of seniors in the Oswego School District’s two high schools are congratulating the members of the Class of 2014, and to mark that achievement, the Little White School Museum is offering visitors a special temporary exhibit, Celebrating the “4s.” The exhibit will extend through late June.

This year’s special exhibit was created by museum manager Tina Heidrich and features memorabilia from school years ending in 4, from the graduation announcement of the OHS Class of 1904 to the 1944, 1954, and 1964 Oswego High School yearbooks. Included are, among other items from the museum’s collections, class photos, photos of OHS sports teams of days gone by, and more.

Regular museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.Admission to the museum is free, but donations are always gratefully accepted.

For more information on the PrairieFest Quilt Show or the “Celebrating the 4’s” special exhibit, call the museum at 630-554-2999 during regular hours, send an e-mail to info@littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org, or visit the museum web site at www.littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org.