The quilt, called “Horse Show Memories,” was crafted at the request of Joy and Lindsey Champion. The Champions asked Turner to make the quilt as a gift for their daughter Emily, when she graduated from veterinary school at Auburn University in May 2008. The quilt features award ribbons from horse shows, along with photographs of Emily Champion spanning her horse show career begun at age four.
Turner saw an ad in Kentucky Living magazine in the fall of 2009, which requested quilts for the exhibit. She responded to the ad, and the museum then requested additional information. In the spring of this year when she learned her quilt had been selected for the show, Turner was excited.
“My brother and sister were here from Madisonville when I got the call,” recalled Turner. “I was really excited about it. It’s been one of the biggest events of my life.”
Turner was one of only six Kentucky residents selected to display their work in the show, which consists of 23 pieces.
Mostly a self-taught quilter, turner has been making quilts since the 1970’s. She said she was appreciative of the help from the Cadiz Quilt Guild, who helped her with ideas about how to make the quilt. “It was a challenge,” said Turner referring to the process of piecing the many ribbons in order to form the quilt.
Turner is a native of Todd County and has lived in Trigg County since 1969. She and her husband Bobby owned Bobby’s Grocery and Bait in Canton for several years.
The National Quilt Museum of the United States is located at 215 Jefferson Street in Paducah. “The Horse’s Tale” exhibit is one of three current exhibits. More than 150 quilts are displayed at the museum at any given time. For more information about this exhibit, contact the National Quilt Museum at 270-442-8856 or visit www.quiltmuseum.org.
