A feeling of fellowship with others, or community, is the basis of any well-rounded organization. While this sense of togetherness is crucial to success, a dedicated person with a genuine love for what they are accomplishing each day is what makes that organization stand out. Becky Glasby, director of learning and engagement at the National Quilt Museum is the perfect example of believing in the work you do and the impact it carries.
“The most rewarding thing is watching other people get excited about quilting,” Glasby said.
"The most rewarding thing is watching other people get excited about quilting," Glasby said.
Glasby has been quilting since she was a teenager. Upon talking about her history with the craft, you’ll see her eyes light up with joy. As she takes a deep breath thinking about where it all began, the fond memories come flooding back and a sense of nostalgia surrounds us. It was like watching a kid in a candy store as she sorted through her bins of recollection.
“When I was about 14 or 15, I spent some time one summer with my aunt and uncle,” Glasby said. “My aunt had gotten into quilting, and she had some friends who were doing it, too.”
As summer vacations go, it can be hard to keep a teenager entertained. Glasby’s aunt used her new hobby to connect with her niece, and the ability to keep her busy was an added plus.
“We ended up doing a single pillow – just a single quilt block,” Glasby said. “She walked me through all of the steps and showed me how to stitch it together. That was a lot of fun.”
Once she got home, Glasby was itching to show everyone her creation. She spread her excitement to her mom, who eventually picked up the hobby. The two created more simple, single block creations and began crafting projects regularly.
Quilting became a thread of familiarity among the mother and daughter. This thread would continue to weave throughout their lives.
"We started collaborating and figuring out ‘How do we do this and what do we do now?’ after those first few projects were done,” Glasby said.
Quilting became a thread of familiarity among the mother and daughter. This thread would continue to weave throughout their lives.
As her quilting journey continued to evolve, Glasby got her degree in historic preservation.
“Part of that covers museums,” Glasby said. “So it was something I was interested in: history, museums, that kind of career path.”
That path led her to discovering NQM, which turned her hobby into a full-time career. Glasby moved from Baltimore to Paducah and dove into a dedicated community of fiber art.
That path led her to discovering NQM, which turned her hobby into a full-time career.
The distance between Glasby and her mom doesn’t stop them from sharing their quilting projects or getting input on fabrics and techniques.
“We’re always texting or calling or sending images, sharing things, talking quilts,” Glasby said. “We do this constantly. It’s not anything atypical for one of us to send a photo and say, ‘Hey, what do you think of these colors?’ or ‘What do you think about these fabrics?’ or ‘Do these go together?’”
Some of her fondest quilting memories include her mom. One story stood out as she remembered her favorite moments as a quilter. Glasby’s mom texted her about her opinion on different fabrics and sent photos of options. Because this wasn’t out of the ordinary, Glasby never thought twice about the inquiries. Much later, her mom came to visit with a surprise.
“Moms usually tend to bring stuff or have something to share,” Glasby said. “She said, ‘Hold out your hands,’ and she put a quilt in my arms.”
Glasby was thrown off.
“She made a quilt for me and kept it completely secret,” Glasby said. “So those photos that I was replying to as just a normal thing were actually me giving input on colors for a quilt she was making for me, which is really, really fun.”
Some of her fondest quilting memories include her mom.
She explains that as a quilter, it’s easy to get used to only giving quilts. Receiving one felt extra special, especially one made for her by her mom.
“As the quilter, or the artist, or the baker, whoever it is, you don’t always end up getting that back,” Glasby said. “So that one’s really special.”
These moments and conversations helped her as she transitioned from her home in Baltimore to Paducah. She found the city to be filled with people dedicated to the craft as she is. Quilt City USA welcomed her with open arms.
“It’s part of our story as Paducah,” Glasby said. “Quilting is here, and now it’s not only quilts. Between the Quilt Show and the Quilt Museum, people come here from around the world. Then they get to discover what makes the rest of Paducah really great.”
She also talks about the importance of Paducah’s Creative City designation. In 2013, Paducah was deemed a city of crafts and folk art by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). This helped put Paducah on the map and build connections with other creative cities.
“We’re connecting to all of these other cities through things outside of quilting, but we still get to share our story of quilting to other parts of the world,” Glasby said.
Quilt City USA welcomed her with open arms.
Her dedication and drive to share her craft garnered attention among the curators at NQM. They approached her about having an exhibition of her own at the museum. Her face brightened and smile widened as she recounted the feeling of her work being recognized.
“It was a lot of fun to have my own exhibition, a solo exhibition here at The Quilt Museum,” Glasby said. “It was a great surprise and a great opportunity when our curator asked me, ‘Would you like to have an exhibit of your work?’ and I was kind of, like, ‘Yeah, of course. Are you serious? Really?’.”
“It was the answer to a question I’d never really asked myself,” Glasby said.
Before the exhibition, Glasby said she’d never really considered having her own work at the museum. It wasn’t something she considered a life goal at that point, but found it more rewarding than she ever could’ve imagined.
“It was the answer to a question I’d never really asked myself,” Glasby said.
Glasby’s continued treasure of her quilting partner’s ideas were part of the decision process of which quilts she decided to display in her exhibition “My Quilting Medley”.
Seeing the quilts hang on the wall was surreal for Glasby.
“I certainly had my mom help,” Glasby said. “I’d ask her, ‘What do you think of these? Does this work? Does this make sense?’ because she knows my quilts.”
Among the quilts she chose was the one her mom made her. Highlighting their relationship was something she found important for her exhibit.
“Part of my story is we both are quilters,” Glasby said. “We both are involved with this.”
Seeing the quilts hang on the wall was surreal for Glasby. Her eyes lit up as she remembered the feeling of seeing her own work on display.
“It was really thrilling being on the artist side of that instead of the install and seeing the exhibits here and watching [visitors] going up and meeting those artists,” Glasby said. “It was kind of nuts.”
“Part of my story is we both are quilters,” Glasby said. “We both are involved with this.”
Glasby finds herself surrounded by inspiration each day she goes into work. She explains how seeing the artistry of other quilters, from the colors they choose to their techniques, continues to help her grow as a quilter herself. She’s able to stay motivated through the excitement of trying new things and perfecting her craft.
As her career continues, it’s clear Glasby has no problem staying determined as she explains having multiple projects in the works at one time. Her continued love and passion for quilting embodies Paducah’s creative foundation. There is no doubt Glasby has been and will continue to be an advocate for expressiveness, imagination, and individuality among a community that celebrates all three.
