Special Exhibits
The Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival & Mancuso Show Management are Proud to Present:
America’s Library – White Oak Mountain Quilters
Our guild participated in America’s Semi-quincentennial Celebration to honor our Nation’s 250 years of history through the timeless art of quilting. For centuries, quilts have stitched together diverse stories, serving as both historical records as well as symbols of our community and for comfort. By creating commemorative pieces, we contribute to our collective heritage, showcasing how traditional crafts connect the past to the present. This celebration allows us to display our artistry while unitedly celebrating freedom, creativity, and the enduring American spirit. Pictured: American Gangsters by Diana Denny.
Wildlife – Peninsula Piecemakers Quilt Guild
Quilts range from farm animals to lions and tigers and bears! There may even be some human wildlife portrayals. It’s all in the creative spirit.
Amethyst – Hoffman Challenge 2025 – 2026
Presenting the 36th Annual Hoffman Challenge featuring Hoffman Fabric's “Amethyst” batik collection. Hoffman Challenge participants were required to use a minimum of 5 out of 15 of the batik challenge fabrics in the body of the quilt top or garment in recognizable, but not necessarily equal amounts. The outcome is a stunning display of quilts and textile art! Pictured: Skura Sunrise by Joyce Lawrence Cambron
April Flowers Bring May Flowers – Cabin Branch Quilters
Flowers! Flowers! Flowers! Cabin Branch Quilters of Woodbridge, Virginia are excited to see just what Happens when "April Showers Bring May Flowers." You can expect to see umbrellas, rain drops and flowers in a variety of media and dimensions. This small quilt exhibit will get you motivated to plant your own garden this Spring.
Beyond the Shutter – Scrubgrass Quilters
Whether gazing through our window or through the camera lens, our perspective transcends beyond the shutter. These Western Pennsylvania traditional quilters stepped outside their comfort zone to translate their passion for quilting in a whole new way. Through the guidance of instructor Nancy Hershberger, Fiber Artist, they embraced a new technique and moved beyond the shutter. Pictured: Passing Time, created by Sharon Mariotti-Snyder
Big Blocks, It’s All About the Quilting – Peninsula MQG
Every quilter knows that one of the last steps in making the quilt is the quilting. Our challenge this year was all about the quilting. Each block pattern was randomly picked using C&T’s Quilt Builder Card Deck. The big blocks needed to finish 36” square. The colorways were randomly picked using Sarah Renae Clark’s Color Cube. Five colors were on each card and the quilter had to use a minimum of three out of the five colors. If a quilter used a background, it needed to be Riley Blake’s solid White. All the quilting was to be done by each individual, whether it was on their domestic machine, their long arm, or hand quilted.
Black and White with a Splash of Color - First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond QUUilters
Every year the QUUilters of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond, Virginia, choose a challenge with a theme or technique to explore through quilt making.
For the 2026-27 challenge, the group wanted to focus on a unifying theme, that was easily recognized. The challenge involves using black and white fabric with a splash of one color. There were no limits on the size of the piece created.
Black, White and Something In Between – Fellowship Quilters Guild
Our quilts examine color as if it is on a continuum, starting with white, the absence of all colors, to black, the sum of all colors. As we traveled across the continuum, we chose one color to integrate into our quilts. A black and white quilt tells a strong story, but the story each of our quilts tells has been impacted by the added color. Some of the stories got bolder with the other color added, while others seemed to become more subdued. Either way, we have some striking quilts!
Blue Ridge Mountains – TAVA (Textile Artists of VA)
Located in the Eastern United States, the Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. It is one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the United States. Most TAVA members live in or around the Blue Ridge Mountains or visit frequently. Our art quilts will reflect the breathtaking scenic vistas, unique flora and fauna, historic areas, museums, performance venues, and the many other attractions in this eye-opening exhibit. Pictured: Sweet Mountain Music by Ellen Hart
Celebration of Women: A Quilter’s Perspective – Sponsored by Mancuso Show Management
Whether it’s dynamic heroines in history, inspiring quilters and mentors, or closer to home in your family tree, this challenge asked its entrants to create a quilt that honors the woman or women who have made a great impact on their life.
Coloring Within the Lines – It's Just Us
Coloring Within the Lines explores the power of color to shape mood, create contrast, and tell a story. Inspired by the endless possibilities of the color wheel, this exhibit showcases interpretations ranging from bold color studies to vibrant celebrations of complementary and analogous color. Featuring work by both traditional and art quilters, each quilt offers a unique perspective on how color can transform fabric into a compelling visual experience. We invite you to discover the many ways our artists have chosen to color within the lines... and occasionally redefine them. Pictured: Marcia's Alphabet by Marcia Hall
Curved Log Cabin Mystery – Stingray Stitchers Quilt Guild
Our guild chose to use the curved log cabin block for members to create their unique color scheme, size and personal choice of stitches in this quilt challenge. The curved log cabin has an energetic flow that can be laid out in many ways and punctuated with or without embellishments. It's a mystery to see what each talented quilter incorporates into their finished piece.
DOGS - Tidewater Quilters Guild
Each year the Mancuso MidAtlantic Quilt show invites local quilt guilds to display quilts created by their members. Each guild chooses their own theme for their exhibit. For 2027 the Tidewater Quilter’s Guild theme is DOGS!
This theme can be interpreted literally or used as inspiration. If used literally, the quilt should contain a figure of a dog or dogs. These dogs can be traditionally pieced, paper pieced, thread painted, appliqued, embroidered (hand or machine), photos printed on fabric or commercially produced fabric featuring dogs and or their paraphernalia or any other method you choose to use. Appearance can run the gamut from traditional to modern.
If the theme is used as inspiration, your imagination is the only limit. Examples could include a quilt based on a phrase such as Dog Day Afternoon for a temperature quilt using reds, yellows, and oranges. If you dislike dogs but love to eat hot dogs make a quilt featuring hot dogs and call it My Favorite Kind of Dogs. Create a modern quilt with your version of an abstract dog. Make a traditionally pieced or modern quilt featuring the colors of brindle, blue or red merle coats or the ten different colors that solid poodle coats come in. A collage of balls could be named Fetch! A landscape quilt on a large field and a forest in the background could be labeled Doggie Paradise.
There are no limits on size or requirements for the quilts other than it needs to be related to dogs either visually or through the name of the quilt, it has a 4” hanging sleeve and a label with the name of the quilt, your name, the date the quilt was completed and where the quilt was made.
We are looking forward to seeing your quilt featuring the world’s most popular pet.
Everything But the Kitchen Sink – Talk Ten Travels
The kitchen counter is where daily life piles up: the morning coffee, the mail, the bowl of lemons, the gadget no one remembers buying. In "Everything But the Kitchen Sink," TalkTen quilt artists take a closer look at this familiar landscape. Each 20" x 25" quilt offers a personal view of what sits on our counters, whether drawn from history, the present day, or pure imagination. A red counter edge runs through every piece, tying the collection together while each artist sets her own scene above it.
Fable Collection Story Time – Cherrywood Challenge
Connection. Imagination. Nostalgia. From beloved childhood tales to personal narratives told through fabric and thread, every quilt shared a unique story. In reviewing the entries, the jurors focused on quilts that reflected thoughtful interpretation of the theme and excellent technique and workmanship. To honor the spirit of the challenge, they chose quilts that expressed the maker’s creative storytelling through fabric and design.
Faces Around Us - Fiber & Stitch Art Collective
Faces appear everywhere — in people and animals, real or imagined. Sometimes we even see facial patterns in everyday objects (pareidolia). In this group exhibition, artists explore the many ways we recognize and create faces through fabric and stitch.
Free to Sp%@k – Marty Ornish & Kathryn Pellman
When speech is treated as dangerous, stitching becomes defiance. Alarmed by the growing assault on free expression and the censorship taking root in the United States along with it’s impact on their fellow citizens, neighbors and community, Southern California artists, Kathryn Pellman and MartyO chose to take action and resist through art transforming fabric and tradition to confront censorship, free speech, and democracy. They speak with needle and thread to ask what happens to a democracy when the First Amendment is treated as negotiable rather than fundamental?
Pictured: The Revolution Kind by Kathryn Pellman
Goddesses and Their Pets – Marilyn Belford
Goddesses across world mythologies are closely tied to animals, often symbolizing power, nature, fertility or warfare. Award-winning quilter, Marilyn Belford, known for her realistic portraits and art quilts, captures this symbolism in her series “Goddesses and Their Pets”. Her boldness and vision, evocative use of color and shapes combined with her penchant for strong women brings the characters in this mythological series to life.
Marilyn Belford is well known for her realistic fabric portraits and art quilts. She comes to the quilting community after a career in the art world. Her works have been shown at the American Quilters Society show in Paducah , Quilters’ Heritage Celebration in Lancaster, the International Quilt Association International Show in Houston, Texas, the Schweinfurth Museum in Auburn, N.Y., and other museums and shows nationally, winning many awards. Her quilts were on display at the Morris Museum in their 2015 NJ Craft Arts Annual. Most recently, her quilt "The Wrath of Poseidon" was chosen for permanent display at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. Marilyn has been teaching at Quilt University since 2003. She has written an article on her method for Chitra Publication’s magazine Quilting Today, has been featured in ARTSmagazine, and has been favorably reviewed in newspapers in New York. Pictured: Freya & Cats by Marilyn Belford
The Greenhouse – The Fabric Poets
The Fabric Poets challenged ourselves to create work based on a poem, "The Greenhouse", written by one of our members, Charles Rhodes. Pictured: Quilt by Barbara Linde
Happy Birthday to Me – River Country Quilt Guild
This year's exhibit will feature members' "Birthstone" wall hangings. The guild will have a workshop by M.J. Kinman, where she will instruct us on how to sew our entries.
History Cannot Be Erased – Quilts by Allyson Allen
History -The study, interpretation, and chronological record of past events, based on evidence, documents, artifacts, and oral traditions.
"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again." - Maya Angelou
“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”- George Orwell
“If you don't know history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree. ”- Michael Crichton
“We'll be remembered more for what we destroy than what we create.”- Chuck Palahniuk
“Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.”- Edmund Burke
“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.”- Franklin D. Roosevelt
In the Garden – Country Piecemakers
The 2026 Country Piecemakers’ Guild challenge is “In the Garden.” Participants made quilts that feature any of the following which are found in a garden; leaves, flowers, plants, vegetables, etc., providing a garden environment theme. There were three challenge rules. First, the finished quilt should measure between 24” x 24” and 60” x 60”. The quilt may be any shape which fits within these dimensions. Second, the completed quilt will be made with a minimum of 6 different quilt blocks which are utilized to create a unique design. Third, blocks must include a minimum of two varying construction techniques such as applique', embroidery, paper-piecing, incorporation of a photo-on-photo fabric, traditionally pieced, painted, etc. We hope you enjoy being In the Garden as you walk through our exhibit. Pictured: In the Garden by Corey Yoder
LadyBee Challenge: The Fabric of Friendship for 30 Years – LadyBee Quilters
Once upon a time in long ago 1997, there was a group of quilting ladies who were friends and relatives and they were the LadyBugs. As time went on, they got to know other very talented quilters that were fun to Bee with. These ladies were the TheraBees who contended that time spent quilting and quilting expenses were cheaper than THERAPY. Beeing together was wonderful therapy. In 2018 the Ladybugs and TheraBees sewed their hearts together and became the LadyBees. These LadyBees gather twice a year to share in quilting, crafts, fun, laughing, and making more memories. 2027 marks 30 years of friendship and love…and they lived happily ever after.
LINES – Stretching Art and Tradition 2
Lines, lines, everywhere there are lines! They mark boundaries, connect, divide, and guide us. There are red lines, picket lines, bread lines, straight lines, crooked lines, and lines we dare to cross. As women, we have been told to “stay in line” and “color inside the lines.” As quilters, we are judged on the quality of our stitching lines. What happens when we take those lines into our own hands? For nearly 30 years, Amy Nelson and Susan Heydt have collaborated on the annual Stretching Art and Tradition Exhibit, challenging fellow quilters to stretch their artistic vision and quilting skills. For this 27th exhibit, LINES, participants were invited to explore the theme in whatever form sparked their imagination, with at least one prominent line in each finished quilt. The submissions invite us to consider the lines we follow, the lines we resist, and the lines we create.
A Little of This and A Little of That – 54-40 African American Quilt Guild
As we look through our stash of quilts there are challenges, blocks of the month, class projects, magazine projects etc. So why not show that we have a wide range of interest. This display will show that we are well rounded in colors, fabrics, patterns and sizes. It will show how we use some of our favorite colors as well as fabric to express ourselves. How some patterns interest us so much that we made multiple quilts and others are one and one only. This display surely offers something for everyone in one way or another.
Modern Day Heroes Project – Curated by Donna DeSoto
In 2025, more than a hundred quilters from Gig Harbor, Washington to Washington, DC to Singapore joined together to create 6 special quilts. These quilts were made and delivered to Modern Day Heroes: Bishop Mariann Budde, President Zelenskyy, Heather Cox Richardson, Rachel Maddow, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and Bruce Springsteen; their courage has inspired us to do good, to follow the light, and to have hope, particularly during a most difficult and challenging time. This exhibit consists of duplicates of each of the quilts that were gifted to these Modern Day Heroes. Following exhibition, they will each be auctioned and the proceeds will be donated to World Central Kitchen. Pictured: Sunflowers for Ukraine
Mystery Fabric Challenge – Colonial Piecemakers Quilt Guild
The Colonial Piecemakers Quilt Guild of Williamsburg, Virginia chose the theme “Mystery Fabric” for our 2027 challenge. Participants selected a brown bag containing a “mystery” fat quarter from the guild’s stash of donated fabrics.
The instructions were simple: create a 24 inch square quilt, using the mystery fabric in a way that viewers could identify the fabric. Participants were free to use any design or pattern of their choosing and add any additional fabrics to complete their quilt.
Nature – 20 Perspectives
A challenge with a very broad interpretation called ‘Nature from 20 Perspectives.”. There are close-ups of flowers, and trees and leaves as well as landscapes as wide as the sun. Our styles range from the realistic to the spiritual, from playful to abstract, and even include interactions of humans with the natural world, The global group of 20 Perspectives artists produce a dizzying array of viewpoints, as varied as nature itself. Pictured: Palila
One Nation, Many Stories – Colonial Heritage Loose Threads
Peace by Piece – Richmond Quilt Guild
Members were asked to create a quilt tht embodies the idea of Peace in all its different expressison. One that promotes Love, Unity and Hope in every square.
Rooted - Hampton Roads Modern Quilt Guild
A tree joins an underground conversation. The first tiny wandering roots spring out of a seed. Carrots cling to the dirt around them. Farmers tend to the soil, making a home, coaxing and waiting for roots.
We root in place, root in history, root to rise. And conversely, people, things, ideals, can all be uprooted as well.
Our members ask you to consider this idea of being rooted through representations of growth, life, and community.
RoundAbout – Talk Ten Travels
The circle may be the simplest of shapes, yet it holds endless possibility. For "RoundAbout," each TalkTen quilt artist was given the circle as a starting point and complete freedom in how to interpret it, choosing her own medium, technique, and approach. The result is a collection of 18" x 18" art quilts as varied as the artists who made them, proving that even the most basic form can lead in surprising directions. Take a moment to see the circle through each artist's eyes.
Shadows and Reflections - Fiber Art Fanatics
Fiber Art Fanatics presents "Shadows and Reflections," an exhibit of both concrete and abstract approaches to the theme of either shadows or reflections. Come share our reflections on life, friends, and Nature!
Silver Lake – The VA Quilt Museum
This Silver Lake exhibit grew out of the 2026 Quilt-Along led by Pat Sloan, using Wendy Sheppard’s Silver Lake Pattern based on a vintage quilt from the Virginia Quilt Museum’s collection. The original quilt was made in the early 1950s as a wedding gift for Mary Spitzer Etter of Harrisonburg, Virginia, by her cousins Clara Reynolds and Phyllis Lindsey. This exhibition features the original quilt, Pat Sloan’s version made with Blue Mill by Benartex fabric, Wendy Sheppard’s version, and others selected through a call for entries. Explore how fabric, color, and size can transform a pattern. Which one is your favorite?
Small Musings – Emma Allen & Holly Panzera
“Small Musings” brings together 32 intimate quilts arranged in eight groupings, each exploring a distinct theme inspired by water, nature, and quiet reflection. Created by Emma Allen and Holly Panzera, united by a shared artistic vision, the exhibit highlights the expressive power of small-scale work. Each grouping invites viewers to pause and consider the subtle variations in color, movement, and mood that exist within a theme. Each quilt evokes a fleeting moment, with textures and intricate stitching drawing viewers into each composition. “Small Musings” affirms the transformation of quilting into contemplative fine art. Pictured: Night Sky by Emma Allen
Stitching the Natural World – Quilts by Nancy Hershberger
Nancy’s process begins with inspiration from the natural environment. A walk down the driveway or hike through a national park fills the well. She keeps her phone on hand at all times, taking photo after photo. These images serve as jumping off points for her work. The riparian zone provides endless inspiration. In 2019, while serving as artist in residence at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Nancy began her “Water Dance” series, interpreting the creeks and waterfalls of the Smokies. The series continues with pieces inspired by Shenandoah National Park and Washington Jefferson National Forest. Pictured: Snowbirds
Stitching Together History – The VA Quilt Museum
In fall 2023, the Virginia Quilt Museum invited quilters to create 20” x 20” quilts depicting a person, place, idea, or event from Virginia or West Virginia history. 136 quilters nationwide answered the call, creating 260 quilts; 80 were selected for this traveling exhibition. These quilts commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, organized into four themes: Power of Place, Unfinished Revolutions, We the People, and Virginia Experiments. From the earliest Indigenous tribes, to settlers seeking freedom and opportunity, to enslaved Africans whose labor built the state’s economy, to the diverse voices of today, Virginia's history is a quilt stitched of many threads. Pictured: Stolen Secrets by Carole Nicholas
Travel Log – Quilts on the Wall
“I travel, not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake.” -Robert Louis Stevenson
We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. Travel transforms both our inner perspective and our view of the world. Travel broadens our horizons and introduces us to different traditions, foods and lifestyles, as well as to new ways of thinking. The quilts in this Travel Log exhibit illustrate in fabric how one journey can leave a lasting imprint on our mind and our memory.
Plus exhibits from Central Virginia MQG, Fiber & Stitch Art Collective, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond QUUilters, Hampton Roads Modern Quilt Guild, Kuumba Afrikan American Quilting Guild, and The Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice's (DJJ) Quilting Program.