BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) — For over twenty years the Sarpy County Museum’s quilt show has brought pops of color to their building.
“I first and foremost am not a quilter, but I love the stories connected with them and the amount of time and talent that goes into them,” said Ben Justman, the museum's executive director.
They’re all unique in design — some modern and others decades old.
"Now there’s all sorts of new patterns and quilts today that are often a combination of hand-done and machine-done while in the days of old, they would be just hand-done," said Justman.
Quilting is an intricate, time-consuming pastime dating back to the beginning of American history.
Justman said they’re all created for a different reason.
“Whether that’s 'I quilted this for my grandkids' or 'This is a quilt we’ve given to a serviceman or the family', or a quilt to highlight history or a quilt that’s been passed down through generations — these tell stories of the community here,” said Justman.
“It seems like once we hang the quilts, the museum just comes alive,” said longtime volunteer Marilyn Gillen.
Gillen said the quilts on display come from mostly Sarpy County residents with their biggest supporters being the Braided River Quilt Guild.
“We put them together in a little program book so when they come in, they’ll be able to read a little bit about the history of each quilt," said Gillen.
The show is a free opportunity to learn more about the rich history and talent of the area — one patch and stitch at a time.
The show lasts from July 10 through August 14. Guests are invited to vote for their favorite quilt and whoever wins will receive a special recognition award.
While the event is free, the museum always welcomes donations. They’re located at 24th and Clay St in Bellevue.
Visit the museum's website here.
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