A trip to Paducah, Kentucky, is never complete without a trip (or several trips) to The National Quilt Museum. The focus of this museum is quilts made since 1980, and it is always fun to see some of the best quilts made in the past 35 years.
The museum always goes all out for QuiltWeek each April, but this year was particularly outstanding. The three major exhibits featured works by Latifah Saafir, Tula Pink, and Janet Stone. Focusing on these three drastically different design styles means that there is something on display that every quilter will love.
This post is packed with images from the current exhibits, but if you want even more, make sure you check out my 2025 post on The National Quilt Museum.
Visiting The National Quilt Museum
Even though QuiltWeek is the busiest time of year at The National Quilt Museum, you can see amazing quilts year-round, and even take classes with amazing makers. Make sure you visit their website before you visit to get all of the latest information.
Have you ever discovered a sewing kit inside a cookie tin? This year, Royal Dansk is a sponsor, and if you keep reading, you’ll see why! This spool sculpture made of cookie tins was a fun addition to the lobby this year.
The main gallery includes selections from the permanent collection as well as the Tula Pink exhibit, but more on that in a minute.
I made sure to visit the Oh, Wow! gallery of small and miniature quilts, and was thrilled to see my quilt, Converging Curves, on display.
Latifah Saafir: It Was All A Dream
I went right to the exhibit of the most Modern quilts and was thrilled to see such a large group of Latifah Saafir’s work in one place.
The hardest part of this post was determining which quilts to share with you because I really wanted to share the entire museum! Ultimately, I decided on no more than three quilts from a single maker, so here are the ones that really stood out to me.
Crush Groove
Convergence
Bias Plaid
Twenty Years of Tula Pink
I’m crazy about Tula Pink’s bold use of color, and it’s delightful to discover all of the details in her fabric designs.
Seeing a quilter’s work is always fun, but it’s exponentially more fun when the quilter is there in person. The line for Tula Pink’s book signing and meet and greet extended a full block outside the museum! (I had seen and met her at a Fall Paducah Show several years ago, and while her events were well attended, it certainly wasn’t this big!)
As much as I love seeing quilts, my favorite part of this exhibition was that each quilt is accompanied by working sketches of the design, so I made sure to include at least one drawing for each quilt.
Color Study #13
The City Sampler
I’ve actually made all of these blocks during a sew-along many years ago, but I have yet to complete the quilt top!
Little Bits
Janet Stone: And Now I Know My ABCs!
Janet Stone spent much of the week meeting people at her exhibit featuring all 26 of her alphabet-themed quilts.
I asked her which quilts were her personal favorites, and those are the quilts I’m sharing here. She also included process sketches of her work, which I enjoyed seeing. (I am totally that person in an art museum obsessing over the artist’s studies and sketches when the finished painting is right there!)
Ewe Are My Sunshine
Garden Variety Sampler
New Quilts From an Old Favorite: Food
Every other year, the National Quilt Museum issues a challenge to make quilts incorporating traditional blocks within an overall theme, which in 2026 was food.
Grandma’s Sewing Kit
First Place
Made by Jessica Drennan
The first-place quilt will tell you why Royal Dansk was a sponsor this year!
Lobster with a Side of Shrimp
Second Place
Made by Kathleen Plumley
The second-place quilt transformed Snail’s Trail blocks into shrimp!
General Sew’s Chicken
Third Place
Made by Susie Cobbs
The pineapple quilt block is featured in the third-place quilt.
In addition to the award-winning quilts, here are a couple of pieces that stood out to me.
Veggie Salad
Made by Rachel Siegel
I thought this quilt did the best job of directly incorporating the block design into the theme.
Lunch at Luigi’s
Made by Zeeda Magnuson
I adore the plaid tablecloth! I also love how each plate conveys the tastes of each family member.
Enjoying the National Quilt Museum
It’s hard to beat a visit to the National Quilt Museum, but if you want a deeper dive into their collection, make sure you check out the entire permanent collection that is available to view online.
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