Guest Blogger: The Old Country Store and Quilt Museum

Our staff at The Old Country Store in Intercourse, Pennsylvania, has sold miles and miles of Kansas Troubles fabric.  But we hadn’t stopped long enough to wonder about the name behind the Kansas Troubles magic.

(For our ignorance and before we say more, we owe an apology to Lynne Hagmeier, the silent but successful creator of hundreds and hundreds of Kansas Troubles fabric designs.)

Our “aha moment” happened in Houston, TX at Quilt Market last fall.  We were narrowing down options for “just the right” quilter/fabric designer to invite as guest exhibitor for the 2013 show in our Quilt Museum at the Old Country Store.  Having nearly reached market-mind-saturation, we were ready to call it a day, when we strolled past the Kansas Troubles booth.

I turned to our manager and said, “Huh, I wonder if that’s the woman behind Kansas Troubles?”  We retraced our steps, launched a friendly, extended conversation, and after confirming that, yes, she was indeed the face behind the beloved fabric, we turned to walk away.  “Now wait,” I said.  “She’s our 2013 show!”

Lynne graciously consents to a photo at Fall Quilt Market 2012.

Kansas Troubles – Traditional Quilts with a Twist, opened at The Quilt Museum at The Old Country Store, Intercourse, PA, in January 2013.  Lynne’s innovative quilt designs are on exhibit through December 31, 2013.  They join the Museum’s larger exhibit, Showcase of Quilts:  Dazzling Contemporary Creations, which features quilts made by other current quiltmakers. Admission to the exhibit is by donation.

The Old Country Store will welcome Lynne on Tuesday, July 30, 2013.

As 2013 guest exhibitor, Lynne will make a special appearance at the Museum on Tuesday, July 30.  She will conduct guided tours of the quilts at 3:00 (sold out), 4:00, 6:00, 7:00, and 8:00 p.m., and she will autograph copies of her recent books.  Tickets for the guided tours are free, but reservations are required.  (To make a reservation, visit www.OCSQuiltMuseum.com.)

The Kansas Troubles fabric collections and precuts, past and current, will be specially sale-priced for the event.  Lynne will unveil the discounted fabric at 2:50 p.m. on July 30.  In celebration of Lynne’s visit, the Store will offer notions demonstrations, book reviews, door prizes, and refreshments.  Everyone is invited!

Nine Kansas Troubles quilts hang alongside 16 other quilts in the second floor museum.

We would love to have all of you fans of Kansas Troubles fabrics enter our Kansas Troubles Quilt Contest.  Our Museum and online fabric store— www.OldCountryStoreFabrics.com —sponsor an annual quilt contest.  Entries may not exceed 60” and must be made exclusively of Kansas Troubles goods.  

The deadline for entering is October 15, and prizes include a $500 cash prize, 50-yard Moda shopping spree, and autographed Kansas Troubles books.  Two winners will be chosen--the Judges’ Choice and the People’s Choice.  Ten finalists will also receive recognition and prizes.  Contest rules are available at www.KansasTroubles.com.

These days Lynne’s name rolls off our tongue as effortlessly as Kansas Troubles.  We love selling her fabric more than ever.  Thank you, Moda, for discovering Lynne and her prizewinning recipe for fabric designing.  We certainly understand why fabric collectors own a deep stash of KT gems. It’s a good thing!

To learn more, visit:
The Old Country Store, www.TheOldCountryStore.com
The Quilt Museum at The Old Country Store, www.OCSQuiltMuseum.com
Old Country Store Fabrics.com, www.OldCountryStoreFabrics.com
Kansas Troubles Quilt Contest, www.KansasTroubles.com