Family history is often passed down through word of mouth, storytelling, or actual objects. You may remember your great-grandmother from a story your grandmother told you over dinner last Thanksgiving. Or maybe it was from that story your uncle told you while you were out fishing. Images and memories can also come from that photo on the wall or on the fireplace mantle. But often, those favorite memories come from textiles: a cherished quilt or set of hand-embroidered pillowcases. As long as you can feel or see these items, the memories stay alive.

Personally, my memories came from those special textiles. I love to rub my fingers over the little French knots and think of my great-grandmother making each one, so precious and caring. I like to picture her at the blue sewing table using her old featherweight Singer sewing machine to create that silly, but beautiful throw quilt. These are items that bring me back to my past.

These objects can be your home and your heart. And you have stories to pass on, to share with your family and friends.

One way to do this is to display a textile to share: the Questa Public Library would like to offer you the opportunity to share your story. The library would love to display your historical quilt or other textile. We would love to hang the textile next to a photo or a written description or story of that special person. As some of you may know, we have three quilt-hanging bars that will safely and carefully hold your quilt. You can hang your quilt for as long as you like.

We typically change out the textile display when we are putting up a new art display. The next display, the Youth Art Display, will be hung in November. We will be having an opening on November 4, with food and music. We hope that you can join us by sharing a bit of your history or favorite memory at the Questa Public Library.

For more information, please stop by the library, or email Sharon at library@villageofquesta.org or Peggy at pegtrigg@gmail.com.