ABOUT US

OUR MISSION

The Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum advances creativity and the understanding and appreciation of fiber arts through exhibitions, collections, and community-centered learning and connects cultural traditions.

OUR VISION

We envision the Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum as an innovative center for the exhibition, preservation, and interpretation of fiber arts. Through collections stewardship and educational programs, the Museum will nurture creativity and deepen understanding of fiber traditions across cultures and generations. Our work will provide a vibrant gathering place where artists, scholars, and communities connect through the shared language of fiber.

OUR COLLECTION

Our collection holds over 300 quilts, historical North American coverlets, modern and contemporary needle and fiber arts, as well as historic garments and wearable art pieces that exemplify tradition or reflect exceptional or unique artistic trends, designs, or techniques.

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History of the Museum

History of the Gaches Mansion

The Gaches Mansion Story Continues

Read the complete paper here!

Every once in a while, something comes along to remind us just how special our Museum home is.  Siri Woods, while going through the estate of her deceased daughter, Dr. Teresa Woods, found a paper that Teresa had written for school in 1980 at age 18 on the history and condition of the Gaches Mansion. Ms. Woods shared the paper with a friend, Vivan Edersheim, who in turn and with the family’s permission, shared it with us.

Dr. Teresa Woods, a long time Academic Advisor at Evergreen State College in Olympia, was an accomplished woman. Fluent in five languages, she traveled extensively and worked all around the world, with a particular focus on and fondness for Southeast Asia. She also took up quilting in her later years.
 
We wanted you to get the full effect of reading this vintage-typed document, so we’ve scanned it just as it was created - typos’, misspellings, and all! Thank you to Siri Woods and Vivian Edersheim for sharing this treasure with us. We hope you enjoy it!

GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING

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Donate!  Use the button below to donate online or mail your gift to P.O. Box 1270, La Conner, WA  98257. 
​Did you know many companies will match your gift?  Click here for the list.

DONATE NOW

Other ways to support us

Sponsor an exhibit, event, or program, participate in planned giving and more!  Contact Us!

We appreciate your donation and commitment to our mission and programs. The Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization (Tax #91-1831289) and your contributions are tax deductible. We will send you an acknowledgement of your donation to use for tax purposes. And, again, thank you!

Thank you for your support!

Board of Directors

Echo Mae, President
Marilyn Sollers, Treasurer
Chandra Wu, Secretary

Geoff Hamada
Dana F. Bowne,
​Drew Betz
Terri Lomax
Maia Tekle

Our Staff

Sarah LaBarre, Museum Director, Ext. 103
Morgan Kavanagh, Curator of Education, Ext. 102
Sybil Jenson, Weekend Supervisor

Collections Focus

This stunning quilt was created by a mother and daughter who lived in New York in the nineteenth century.  The "Mariner's Compass" pattern is one of the earliest named quilting designs and was probably based on a navigational chart used before the compass and called a "windrose." 

The earliest known quilt decorated with this pattern is from mid-18th-century England.  Clearly, the design would have held significance for families who lived near the sea and/or worked in the naval or fishing industry.

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Amanda Cheney and Roxy Terrill, Mariner's Compass, c. 1865, hand-pieced and appliqued. Gift of Helen Nobles, 2011.07.001.

Please note:
We are not accepting quilt or textile donations while we revise our Collections Management and Gift Policy procedures. Beginning with Woven Joy (through Jan. 18, 2025), the 2024-2025 Exhibition Schedule will feature exhibitions intended to highlight exceptional objects from our Permanent Collection, including historic embroidery, 19th-century, appliqued, floral quilts, and pieced, geometric quilts from the mid- to late-19th century.
We will post updates and collection information here. Thank you for your interest in our Permanent Collection.

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The Permanent Collection

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The Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum collection holds over 300 quilts, historical North American coverlets, modern and contemporary needle and fiber arts, as well as historic garments and wearable art pieces that exemplify tradition or reflect exceptional or unique artistic trends, designs, or techniques.

Our holdings date from the 1820s to today. Special collections include the Jane Jackson Collection, the Susan Hyde Collection, the Josie Teeters Schlotterback Collection, and the Jim Erickson Collection.

PLEASE NOTE:
We are not accepting donations of quilts or fiber art designated for the collection or the museum shop, while we take inventory and revise our Collections and Donation Policies. (February 2025)

Care of Textiles
We have compiled some general guidelines for Textile Care. We have also included a few reference sites for your use.  Download a pdf here: Textile Care