String Theory: String-pieced Quilts from Past to Present

Featuring quilts from Roderick Kiracofe’s collection

Iowa Quilt Museum, Winterset, IA
2021

Curator Linzee McCray writes: “I’ve always been attracted to the waste not-want not school of quilting. String piecing likely derived from the desire to use up every last bit, including the narrow strips of fabric that were too small to be used in traditional quilt blocks. When my mom passed away and I was cleaning out her sewing room—she sewed exquisite garments—I found the bundles of long narrow ‘strings’ that she’d carefully wrapped up to save and a lightbulb went off.“

Features contributions from collections and artists Teddy McMahon Pruett, Sujata Shah, Sarah Nishiura, Bonnie K Hunter, Siobhan Furgurson, Fern Royce, Tara Faughnan, Ann Brauer, Sheree L. Jimmerson, and Roderick Kiracofe

Read more about what curator Linzee McCray has to say about the exhibition.

Quilt from Roderick Kiracofe collection. Image: Linzee McCray.

Quilt from Roderick Kiracofe collection. Image: Linzee McCray.

Quilt from Roderick Kiracofe collection: String Star, c. 1910-40, found in Ohio, cotton, 86" x 77"

Quilt from Roderick Kiracofe collection: String Star, c. 1910-40, found in Ohio, cotton, 86" x 77"

Left: Quilt from Roderick Kiracofe collection. Both center and right: Teddy Pruett. Image: Linzee McCray.

Left: Quilt from Roderick Kiracofe collection. Both center and right: Teddy Pruett. Image: Linzee McCray.

Labels from "quilt bundle" scraps, likely from pajama material in a Teddy Pruett quilt. Image: Linzee McCray.

Labels from "quilt bundle" scraps, likely from pajama material in a Teddy Pruett quilt. Image: Linzee McCray.

Left to right: Bonnie Hunter, Sujata Shah, Ann Brauer, and Tara Fauhnan. Image: Linzee McCray.

Left to right: Bonnie Hunter, Sujata Shah, Ann Brauer, and Tara Fauhnan. Image: Linzee McCray.

Quilt from the Roderick Kiracofe collection.

Quilt from the Roderick Kiracofe collection.