Create. Learn. Celebrate.
The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show is thrilled to once again welcome quilting enthusiasts to the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin to celebrate the joys of quilting. We are proud to host this event for a community that shares so much passion and dedication for their craft. From the buzz of the vendor mall to the beauty of the quilt exhibits, The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show offers so many opportunities for you to delve into quilting and engage with other quilters.
Quilt Exhibits
Take a walk through the outstanding exhibit of award-winning quilts in our 10-category juried and judged Quilt Contest exhibit. Study the stitches, take in the designs and become inspired by hundreds of beautiful quilts. Be sure to vote for your favorite for the Best of Show award! Find inspiration for your next project in this exhibit and several other special quilt exhibits including:
- 20th Anniversary Nancy Zieman Landscape Quilt Exhibit
- Align Yourself with the Stars by Bonnie LeBeaux
- Black Threads presented by Black Threads
- 1876 Centennial Quilt Special Quilt Exhibit presented by Anne Dawson
- Modern Motion: The Quilts of Melissa de Leon Mason presented by Melissa de Leon Mason
- Vintage Japanese Kimono Quilts presented by June Colburn
- MUSIC Quilt Challenge Exhibit Presented by Prairie Lakes Quilters
- Take the Shirt Off My Back Presented by Chicago Modern Quilt Guild
- The MONARCH Quilt Challenge Exhibit Presented by Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabrics
- The Great Wisconsin Quilt Modern Mini Quilt Challenge Exhibit
- The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show Black & White + One Quilt Challenge Exhibit
- The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show Kids’ Quilt Challenge Exhibit
Lectures & Workshops
Explore hundreds of educational opportunities to pique your curiosity, including one-hour lectures, hands-on workshops and Sit & Sew workshops, all facilitated by leading educators.
Vendor Mall
View our extensive list of vendors who travel to The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show to showcase the latest fabrics, threads, notions and sewing machines.
With a vendor mall covering 85,000 square feet, you can spend an entire day just shopping!
Raffle
Win great quilting prizes in The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show Raffle! Purchase tickets at the PBS Wisconsin booth near the main entrance. Tickets are $2 each or three for $5. All proceeds support PBS Wisconsin. Winners need not be present to win. Full contest rules are available at the PBS Wisconsin booth during the show.
View a full list of raffle prizes and donors coming soon.
Join us for live interviews from the event
Live updates from the event at the Alliant Energy Center. Deanna Springer of Nancy Zieman Productions will give virtual viewers an inside look through brief interviews and coverage of other event highlights.
Evening Events
The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show is excited to announce two new evening events!
Celebrating 20 Years of The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show
Take a quilting journey down memory lane and revisit 20 years of Quilt Contest exhibits, Quilt Challenges, Kids’ Quilt Challenges and Quilt to Give. Reminisce with Ann, as she shares a trunk show of quilts that celebrate two decades of The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show, and memories of our amazing founder, Nancy Zieman and other amazing quilters, including Natalie Sewell and Klaudeen Hansen. Join us for cake and a 20th anniversary commemoration!
Batik: Textile Treasures of Bali
From royal robes to one of our hottest textile trends, hand-dyed wax-resist batiks have an alluring past and an exciting future. Learn about the importance of batik fabrics in Balinese culture and how world history affected those who create them. Hear stories about June’s visit to Princess Mirah’s Factory where she watched expert dyers create magical effects on cloth. See samples of the lengthy process of making a three-color batik print. View examples of traditional village sarongs, some quite elaborate. Finally, learn how June uses contemporary batiks in her wearable art, quilts and more!
Tickets are available for purchase here in advance and at the Class Ticket Sales desk in the front lobby during the event.
Community Service Project
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Daily in the Atrium
Share your love of quilting by joining our community service project, a collaborative effort led by PBS Wisconsin Education. Help create a warm welcome for refugee children being resettled in Wisconsin. Your quilt will be included in a welcome package for our new neighbors alongside PBS KIDS educational materials and distributed to families in their new communities throughout the year.
Here’s how to participate:
• Plan 30 minutes or more to sit and sew.
• Donate fabric in bright colors: 1/4 yd. or more.
• Donate a new, finished bed-sized quilt.
The quilting process and more details will be available this summer at nancyzieman.com/blog.
Quilt Appraisals
Quilt appraisals are a great way to determine and provide a written record of a quilt’s fair market value if needed in the event of loss or damage. For $55, you will receive a professionally written document for each quilt appraised. Information regarding your appraisal will be kept confidential. Quilts will be appraised by Allison Rainboth and Cathy Glover, who are certified by the American Quilter’s Society and members of the Professional Association of Appraisers – Quilted Textiles.
A separate appraisal is needed for each quilt you wish to have appraised. The average appraisal will take approximately 30 minutes per item. Attendees can sit and watch live appraisals. Join us as we learn from our expert quilt appraisers.
