Appalachian Women's Museum

05/02/2026

Airing of the Quilts today from 11-3 at the Appalachian Women's Museum.

04/30/2026

It looks like the rain should clear by the start of Airing of the Quilts this Saturday. No worries if it is still sprinkling the quilts will be hung inside. Laura Nelle Goebel will be demonstrating under the cover of the canning house.

Airing of the Quilts May 2nd from 11 - 3 pm
Join us to celebrate the tradition of hanging quilts out to air after the long winter months at this year's Airing of the Quilts on May 2nd from 11 - 3 pm. This year's event includes a special exhibit and hand quilting demonstration by Laura Nelle Goebel, a quilt show and museum tours.

There is also still time to submit a favorite quilt for the event. Fill out this form to register, https://forms.gle/uQg3vCqRsTAqsGgw9 or email [email protected] for more information.

04/21/2026

There is still time to submit a quilt for this year's Airing of the Quilts!
Register here: https://forms.gle/vzkb6ojxN5NpVtNw5
Or email [email protected]

04/15/2026

Would you like to see a favorite family quilt displayed at the AWM?
Fill out the quilt submission form to join the fun!

https://forms.gle/89JJMQ3bU1Q2q6Ls8

Bottom image of Laura Nelle Goebel from 2019 Airing of the Quilts. This year she will be demonstrating hand quilting and have a special exhibit of her quilts.

04/10/2026

Airing of the Quilts May 2nd from 11 - 3 pm
Join us to celebrate the tradition of hanging quilts out to air after the long winter months at this year's Airing of the Quilts on May 2nd from 11 - 3 pm. This year's event includes a special exhibit and hand quilting demonstration by Laura Nelle Goebel, a quilt show and museum tours.

There is also still time to submit a favorite quilt for the event. Fill out this form to register, https://forms.gle/uQg3vCqRsTAqsGgw9 or email [email protected] for more information.

04/10/2026

That rascal Dave Russell dragged his 1885 Singer treadle machine over to the front porch for some quilting. He's kind of having a hard time setting the tension on the machine. It's putting big loops of top thread on the bottom side of the quilt. But then when he tries to tighten the tension, eventually the thread breaks. Suggestions welcomed below, or better yet, come sit on the porch. He will be here for a few more hours. It's 12:13 right now.

03/31/2026

We are wrapping up Women's History month with a contemporary Appalachian Woman. History is not just in the past but is created every day.

Valerie June
Born in Tennessee in 1982, June is well known as a singer-songwriter. Her music is influenced by many genres, including Indie Rock, Bluegrass, Country Soul, symphonic pop, and Appalachian Folk that she describes as “organic moonshine roots music.” In 2021, she was nominated for a Grammy in the category Best American Roots song for “Call Me a Fool.” June has performed her music on PBS, Late Night shows, Saturday morning shows, Grand Ole Opry, etc. Her music often features powerful storytelling and reflects her Appalachian roots.

For more information, visit her website at https://www.valeriejune.com/

June featured in NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert: https://youtu.be/iBDrTHCSWDc?si=yh7D8su6dMUXcLnS

June Featured on PBS: https://youtu.be/FfZ8li3sF-k?si=ASBwCCKfl6bpmyfu

03/30/2026

Ollie Combs
Remembered as an activist of Appalachian environmental justice, Ollie Combs was born in the coalfields of Knott County, Kentucky in 1904. Throughout her life, the environment of Appalachia changed drastically. After World War II, there was a major shift from underground mining to strip mining. Strip mining resulted in negative environmental impacts, including significant noise and water pollution. Along with that, the Broad Form Deed decreed that farmers had access only to the surface of the land, not to the minerals beneath it, which allowed coal companies to bulldoze into the land. On November 21st, 1965, when a coal company threatened to bulldoze Combs’ land, she sat down in front of the bulldozers, refusing to move in order to protect her home. She and her sons, who also participated in the protest, were arrested and held in jail over the Thanksgiving holiday. Combs’s story of protest reflects the environmental history of Appalachia and the strong Appalachian women who stood up for their land and family.

For more information on the Broad Form Deed, check out:
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1235&context=jnrel

For more information on strip mining, check out:
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/mining-and-mineral-resources/strip-mining-overview

For more information on Ollie Combs, check out:
https://molliececil.com/the-widow-combs/

03/30/2026

Airing of the Quilts at the AWM is on May 2nd from 11-3 pm. Airing our quilts in the spring after a long winter season is an Appalachian tradition. Join in by submitting a loved family quilt for display. Registration closes on April 18th. Click the link in our bio to register your quilt.