Hitting Back at the American Quilter’s Society: What You Can Do
Like all of my blog posts, no AI was used in the creation of this article. Spelling errors and grammatical mistakes are entirely my own. For additional background information on this article, please refer to my original blog post linked here.
I’m humbled by the outpouring of support on my recent post, “Why I’m Boycotting the American Quilter’s Society.” In the span of four days, I’ve had over 11k visits to my website, from all around the world. One comment I keep hearing is, “how can I help?” The question speaks of the integrity of the artistic community, and I’m here to do my best to answer it!
But first, let’s backtrack a little bit…
Who Owns the American Quilter’s Society
The AQS was founded in 1984 by Meredith and Bill Schroeder, and the company has remained in the family ever since. Since its inception, the American Quilter’s Society has expanded to include American Quilter Magazine, the (now defunct) American Quilter TV series, and in 1991, the Schroeders founded what is now the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY. (Not to be confused with the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, NE, which supports the free speech of its artists)
In 2021, the AQS was passed down to third-generation owners, brothers-in-law Bill Schroeder III and James Mitchell, who have taken over day-to-day operations.
Laura Shaw’s censored quilt: Your Mother. Your Daughter. Your Sister. Your Grandmother. You. This quilt was recently acquired by the International Quilt Museum and added to its permanent collection.
Hit ‘em in the Coin Purse
At the time of writing this article (February 3, 2025) the AQS has yet to make a public statement on why they’re censoring artworks. While they appear to be waiting for this to blow over, as consumers, we can vote with our dollars. Voting with your dollars can look like:
Not attending AQS QuiltWeek shows
Unsubscribing from American Quilter Magazine
Boycotting the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY
Not purchasing books published by AQS
Individual $ = Chump Change; Corporate sponsors are not
Corporate sponsorship is integral to the success of AQS QuiltWeek shows. While I’m not proposing a boycott of the sponsors, as a community we can voice our displeasure with their support of an organization that has a history of censoring free speech. Collectively, we can encourage them to divest from AQS shows.
Below is a list of the current sponsors, and their contact emails:
Accuquilt - hello@accuquilt.com
Bernina USA - customerservice@berninausa.com
Brother USA - info@brother.com
Handi Quilter - hqcares@handiquilter.com
Husqvarna Viking - info@husqvarnaviking.com
Innova - customercare@innova.com
Janome America - custrel@janome-america.com
Martelli - support@martellinotions.com
Pfaff - pfaff@pfaffusa.com
Quilter Solutions - exhibit@quiltersolutions.com
Superior Threads - info@superiorthreads.com
YLI Threads - info@ylithreads.com
Connecting Threads - customerservice@connectingthreads.com
I’ve created a draft email which you can use. Of course, make changes as you see fit:
Dear ____,
I’m writing this email in response to an organization your company is currently sponsoring. I was recently informed that the American Quilter’s Society, host of AQS QuiltWeek, engages in censorship. Their actions have been egregious enough that SAQA, a respected organization of art quilters, pulled their exhibition from all AQS QuiltWeek shows in 2025.
As a consumer, I’m alarmed by the censorship by the AQS, particularly on the issue of women’s rights, a group which makes up the vast majority of their clientele.
I encourage you to reconsider your support of the AQS, and to stand on the right side of history at this crucial moment in the US. Please withhold sponsorship from future AQS events, as affiliation with them weakens the reputation of your company.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Shannon’s award-winning quilt, Amigos Muertos, censored by the AQS in 1993. It was made as a tribute to friends lost during the AIDS crisis.
What’s Next?
The good news is there’s alternatives for those of us who want to use our dollars to support businesses doing the right thing. Here are some actions you can take:
Instead of AQS, become a member of SAQA. They have proven support for their artist members, even taking a financial hit to do so.
Instead of American Quilter Magazine and American Quilter TV, try Quilting Arts Magazine and Quilting Arts TV.
Instead of the National Quilt Museum, plan your trip to the International Quilting Museum (they recently added Laura Shaw’s censored quilt to their permanent collection)
Instead of attending AQS QuiltWeek Shows, consider one of these US-based shows instead. (Avoid the 5 shows with the URL quiltweek.com)
Support artists directly. Artists who’ve published with AQS or are teaching at AQS QuiltWeek shows will inevitably be impacted by a boycott. Consider registering for a class with the artist online or at a different venue, and search for other offerings where you can support them without benefiting the AQS.
My quilt, After the End (Judgement), depicting Anubis, an Egyptian god of the afterlife, and of the soul’s judgement.
Never Forget, We have power
As a collective, we can be the impetus for the change we want to see in the industry, and in the world. Have other ideas on making our voice heard? Leave them in the comments below.