Milwaukie Center, located on the site of North Clackamas Park, has held a quilt show every year beginning in 1994.

We have a community quilt show, and also a show-within-a-show, the "Special Exhibit", which reflects our theme for that year's show.

Links to Some of our Previous Shows:



March 21 - 22, 2008

Milestone Quilts, highlighting quilts made to commemorate people and events, was the focus of our Special Exhibit this year. A stunning "Sun and Sky" quilt, made by communtiy members, was the raffle quilt. The Saturday lunch once again featured "Tony's Famous Steak Soup" from the High Rocks Steakery and Lounge. Our Saturday speaker, Denise Clausen, former director of the Latimer Quilt and Textile Center, gave a lecture and trunk show of Memory Quilts. This year marked the fifth year that Elieen Trestain did appraisals.

March 23 - 24, 2007

This year's Special Exhibit showcased some of the people and organizations who make quilts for the less fortunate. The Raffle Quilt, "Peaches and Green", was made by Adelaide Ella Pennecard Tombleson, and hand-quilted by The Friends of Milwaukie Center Quilters. The quilt was donated by Ella's grandson, Norman Goetz. Eileen Trestain did appraisals on Saturday.

March 24 - 25, 2006

This year's Special Exhibit showcased some of the region's quilt instructors. The Raffle Quilt, "Double Irish Chain", was made by Sharon Skates and was hand-quilted by the Friends of Milwaukie Center Quilters. Eileen Trestain did appraisals on Saturday.

March 18 - 19, 2005

This year's Special Exhibit showcased the work done through the decades by the Milwaukie Center quilting groups. The Raffle Quilt, "Tulip Cross Stitch," was made by JoAnn Norton, and then hand-quilted by the Friends of Milwaukie Center Quilters. Eileen Trestain did appraisals on Saturday.

March 19 - 20, 2004

This year's quilt show celebrated the 100th anniversary and the ethnic diversity of the community of Milwaukie, Oregon.

We displayed the Milwaukie Centennial Quilt; Mona Derrow spoke about African fabrics and art, and had a rare public exhibit of her work; our Raffle Quilt was "House of Many Colors", inspired by Freddy Moran's work; and our Special Exhibits were "Ethnic Quilts in our Community" and "Quilts with Houses". Eileen Trestain did appraisals on Saturday.

March 21 - 22, 2003

This year we had a Quilt Contest with the theme "Red, White ... and New!" to reflect the renewed interest in community and country -- What does patriotism, your country, your community, mean to you? Our Special Exhibit showcased the work of DeLoris Stude, founder of the West Coast Quilter's Conference. We had a "Conversation with DeLoris" on Saturday afternoon, facilitated by quilt historian Mary Bywater Cross. Mary Cross also spoke on Saturday morning. Our Friday speaker was Rachel Greco, who spoke on "The History of Red Work". The Raffle Quilt this year was "Road to Patriotism", a 'Road to Oklahoma' quilt done in red, white, and blue. It was pieced by JoAnn Winters and quilted by Catherine Lovett of Quilted Memories.

March 22 - 23, 2002

The theme for this year's show was "Timeless Treasures". Our Special Exhibit reflected this theme with photo transfer quilts; traditional Signature and Friendship Quilts; quilts celebrating family reunions and anniversaries; quilts honoring and remembering a loved one; etc. Of special interest was the Crazy Quilt made by Bonnie Hoffower in memory of her daughter, Jill Stark. Mary Bywater Cross presented a slide show and lecture: "Grandmother's Garden: Reflections on a 1930's Oregonian Quilt Contest".

June 1 - 2, 2001

The theme for the show was "A Garden of Quilts". Our raffle quilt was a Grandmother's Flower Garden pieced by Bernice Wolbert and quilted by the Friends of Milwaukie Center quilting group. As a special event for the community, we showed the Association of Pacific Northwest Quilters (APNQ) slide show "Basic Necessities" twice on Saturday. This was the first year we had a web site for the show.

June 2 - 3, 2000

In honor of the new century, our theme this year was "Quilting the Centuries Together", and our Special Exhibit showcased Millenium Quilts. We had many different styles of Millenium Quilts in the exhibit. One was an embellished quilt with 2000 beads and embellishments; another was a postage-stamp-style quilt made from signed pieces of fabric obtained in swatch exchanges from all around the world; another was photo-transfers of century-old fashions and modern themes.

June 4 - 5, 1999

This year's theme was "Out of the Trunk", and our Special Exhibit was "100 Years of Family Quilts", Dianne McRae's collection of her family quilts dating from 1861. On Saturday we were able to have two viewings of the Association of Pacific Northwest Quilters (APNQ) slide show "Quilt 2000: Invoking Spirits". We also heard renowned quilter Helene Knott speak on "Contemporary Art Quilts". Another special event for this show was the Chatauqua Program "Hands all Around: Quilting Traditions in America" by master quilters Elizabeth Hoffman and Shannon Rettig.

June 12 - 13, 1998

To coincide with the dedication of the Sara Hite Rose Garden at North Clackamas Park, this year's Special Exhibit was Rose Quilts. Ten very special quilts were exhibited in the Special Exhibit. Three of those were: the "Rose Wreath", which was made prior to 1861, and which appeared in the 1999 PBS program "Quilts of Oregon"; an appliqued quilt with incredible 3-dimensional applique; and the "Oregon Rose", which came over the Oregon Trail in 1852, and was included in Mary Bywater Cross'  book Treasures in the Trunk.