The South Florida Museum in Bradenton is putting female artists and the art of quilting in the forefront during March, which is Women’s History Month.

  • Quilting for a Cause exhibit runs through July 30
  • Exhibit showcases variety of styles, explains early quilting techniques
  • Quilts from local artists part of exhibit

The museum's "Quilting for a Cause" exhibit explores how quilting runs through the fabric of life in America.

"We really wanted to focus on women and quilts and why women would come together to make these quilts especially in a time and age when they were most popular,” Exhibits and Collections Specialist Sara Blackwelder said.

The exhibit features quilts that showcase a variety of styles and lifetime milestones dating back as far back as 1846.

"We really wanted people to take a moment and think about quilts are art and that they can really tell a lot about a person’s life or a larger cause,” Tiffany Birakis, Assistant Curator of Collections and Exhibits, said.

The exhibit also explains aspects of early quilting, including how quilters used plant materials to make fabrics and dyes as well as different sewing styles.

There is also a display of quilts from Bradenton quilter Carole Lyles Shaw. Her quilts are mixed-media collages that focus on African American women throughout history.

The exhibit runs through Sunday, July 30 and is included in admission. For more information, visit the South Florida Museum online at southfloridamuseum.org.