When you imagine a quilt, do you picture muted colors and evenly spaced squares of fabric? When you visit the Eugene Modern Quilt Guild Exhibit at the Downtown Eugene Public Library this month, you’ll think again! “They aren’t your grandma’s quilts, although many of the makers are grandmas,” says Jen Bell, EMQG president. The Modern Quilt Guild was founded in Los Angeles in October 2009 with a passion for creatively sewn expression driving members together. With over 18,000 global members, the 54 active members of the Willamette Valley-based chapter make up a small but mighty collection of fine quilters. Only 20 EMQG members participated in the crafting of the exhibit, but they produced over 50 miniature quilts to display. “Members were given the same set of bright solid fabrics and asked to make mini-quilts showing common characteristics of modern quilts: modern traditionalism, negative space, improvisational techniques and asymmetry,” Bell says. The sunset hues of the display draws the eye to the intricate craftsmanship of each 18-square-inch piece. Better yet, the exhibit is shown in the library’s Magazines & Newspapers Room, which is on “on the same floor as the quilting books, so if someone was inspired to learn more, they could easily pick up one of the many books on quilting that the library has,” Bell says.

The Eugene Modern Quilt Guild Exhibit is viewable 9:30 am to 6 pm Monday, Friday & Saturday; 9:30 am to 8 pm Tuesday through Thursday; 1 pm to 5 pm Sunday from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30 at the Downtown Eugene Public Library in the Magazines & Newspapers Room on the second floor. FREE. Visit EugeneMQG.org for information about joining the guild.