Entries sought in County Extension's non-traditional quilt block competition

Quilt block designs are being sought to represent Allamakee County in an outdoor mural at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. The winning designs from each of Iowa’s 99 counties will be constructed in tile on the exterior of the new Richard O. Jacobson Exhibition Center, a multi-use facility scheduled to open in 2010.
The contest is coordinated by the County Extension office, which will submit the final design to the State Fair. To enter, submit a design by October 1 to the Allamakee County Extension Office at 21 Allamakee Street, Waukon, IA 52172. All entries must follow the guidelines below:
• Designs must consist of a patchwork pattern using geometric shapes (no animals, words, symbols, or logos are allowed).
• Designs must use two to five colors chosen out of the specific color palette - blue, red, orange, green, teal, yellow, purple, brown, black and white. (See accompanying image above). The Iowa State Fair quilt committee has chosen these specific 10 colors with the intent of making all 99 quilt blocks consistent.
• Submissions must be drawn to scale on white paper using appropriate colors. Final design will consist of four 8”x8” tiles to form a 16”x16” block, with a one-inch border on the outside.
The quilt block project will incorporate Iowa’s heritage and tradition of barn quilts into the Fairground’s newest facility. The 110,000 square foot Jacobson Exhibition Center will feature an indoor arena, practice arena and seating for 3,500.
For more information, or further examples of acceptable designs, contact Kris Fahey, County Youth Coordinator, at the ISU Extension Office, 568-6345 or kfahey@iastate.edu.