Quilting can be lonely work. A new quilt means hours and hours spent alone measuring, cutting, sewing, pinning, quilting and binding. By the time one is done with a quilt, it feels good to show others that accomplishment.

At the same time, there are older quilts in closets and cedar chests in most families that need to come out into the air.

If they could talk, they would tell of decades of cold nights and warm bodies, of wrapping up babies and comforting the elderly. A quilt might tell of the loving hands that created it and even the individual pieces — the tan from a loved one’s shirt or stripes from an old tie — can tell stories of years past.

The airing of the quilts is a traditional rite of spring in the mountains. After a long winter with families snuggled under layers of warm handmade quilts, the warmer weather of springtime gave women a chance to freshen up and air-out these essential covers.

To honor this tradition, the AWM held its first event in 2018 with more than 65 quilts hanging on the wraparound porch, from clotheslines in the yard and on quilt racks and other surfaces throughout the first floor of the museum.

There will also be a fabric scrap exchange, a quilt pattern and book exchange, raffle and music. Unlike previous events, organizers are allowing repeats for those who have something so special they want to air it again.

Find more information and an entry form at appwomen.org/quilts. Print and return one form for each quilt to AWM, P.O. Box 245, Dillsboro, NC 28725.

Day-of, quilts must be delivered to the AWM between 8-10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, or call the museum at 828.482.5860 to make arrangements. Pickup after the event is 3-3:45 p.m. Quilts must be picked up the day of the airing.

For more information, email the museum at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..