Every fall, quilt historians and other people who love old and new quilts attend the annual meeting of the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG). So much happens during the event that I need three columns to share just a bit of the amazing 2025 Seminar in Portland, ME. The first column focused on the wonderful tours of historical sites in and around Portland and the capital of Augusta. I also highlighted the wonderful Maine Quilts exhibit and the bed turnings, both of which highlighted the unique quilt styles of The Pine Tree State. The second column focused on the scholarly paper presentations, which can be accessed in Uncoverings through AQSG along with the other interesting speakers and entertainment, including the live auction with dancing maritime Juliettes and a sea shanty group. Please see the prior columns to learn more (November 2025 and January 2026). They give just a glimpse of how magical those several days were in the Portland Harbor (great sunrises and sunsets) but there was so much more: study centers, a silent auction, show and tell, and the vendors mall.

Observe, share, and learn: study centers

First, what is a study center? It is a two-hour interactive discussion of a specialized topic. It involves a Powerpoint presentation as well as actual quilts or fabrics shared by the presenter and brought in by attendees. These sessions are small and allow for more dialogue between participants and study center leaders; 2025 Study Centers numbered more than a dozen and covered a very wide range of topics and several centuries, from an up-close study of an 1825 hexagon quilt, an interesting study of two antique quilts made at the same time but now looking quite different, crazy quilts and redwork embroidery.

Then it was on to the 20th century, with seminal designers like Bertha Stenge and Marion Whiteside and quilts series published in newspapers. There was also a foray into shipwrecks and salvaged fabrics from Rhode Island. We then moved straight to the future, with centers focused on sharing quilts in the digital age and harnessing AI to be your robot quilt research intern.

Myriad antique quilt and fabric acquisition opportunities

Most of my fellow seminar attendees are at least casual collectors of antique textiles, while many are avid collectors, and seminar gives us many options to expand our collections. The vendor’s mall is comprised of some of the most esteemed national quilt dealers, smaller sellers, and those new to antique sales. Imagine the best quilt museum and being able to get up close and touch the art and even buy a piece that captures your heart. It did not disappoint. After years of searching, I found my unicorn, an intricate pieced block called Biloxi. You never know what you will find there.