Join us Quilt Trunk Show and Sale with noted quilt historian and author Karen Snyder. The show will include vintage quilts from Karen’s collection displayed as a “Bed Turning” every hour on the half hour. In addition there will be Karen Snyder original quilts for sale. A portion of proceeds from the sale will support Museum programs. Admission to the Quilt Trunk Show is free.
Karen Snyder grew up knowing that someday she would be a quilter. For many years, that dream was always in the future–the “someday” that would come later. However, in 1995 she received a free quilt pattern in the mail. Having passed her 40th birthday, she thought perhaps the time to start quilting was at hand. She plunged in and stitched her first quilt.
Within two years of making that first quilt, Karen had added quilting fabric to her gift shop, Anna Lena’s, in Long Beach, Washington. The shop’s original product, homemade fudge, remained a major attraction and the fabric inventory grew to more than 5,000 bolts. In 2006 Anna Lena’s was named one of the top ten quilt shops in the country and was featured in Quilt Sampler magazine.
Karen’s love of quilting led her to write four books of quilt patterns. Then, with a little push from her friends, she made a presentation to a New York fabric manufacturer and began designing fabrics. Extensive research for her fabric designs and her unquenchable interest for historic quilts led her into quilt history and collecting.
“We are very excited about Karen’s “Bed Turning” presentations,” said Museum Director Betsy Millard, “A stack of quilts is placed on the bed and as each is turned down Karen talks about its history and significance.” Karen retired from retail in 2008 and from fabric designing in 2013 when she realized a long time dream and purchased a home in Sweden. She continues to enjoy the art of quilt making.