Fellow Kendra Staley presented on “Quilting: An American Tradition” at the IRC in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The 40 participants ranged in age from 4 to 70, bringing together a diverse and exciting group of people.
Staley discussed historical and modern quilting by showing short video clips from the film “How to Make an American Quilt” and reading various excerpts from newspaper articles. Staley shared her own experiences quilting with her grandmother and demonstrated her technique, which participants tried at the end of the presentation. Turkmens were enthralled by the presentation, since embroidery and rug making are important aspects of their culture. They were very interested in the similarities and differences between their own technique and what is common in the United States.