Elaine Dougan, North Country quilter, was a 2011 recipient of TAUNY's North Country Heritage Award

CANTON -- In preparation for an exhibit of Northern New York quilts, TAUNY is holding a series of quilt days around the region where people can bring their quilts to be documented and photographed.

The first event is Saturday, Nov. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the TAUNY Center, 53 Main St. Quilts will be processed on a drop-in basis.

The quilt documentation team is led by TAUNY executive director and folklorist Jill Breit and historian Hallie Bond, both of whom have written about and curated exhibitions on traditional fiber arts.

The call is for antique, heirloom and contemporary quilts, made in Northern New York. Given their relative scarcity, there is no limit on how many antique quilts each person can bring for documentation. Contemporary quilters are asked to pick a maximum of two quilts that best represent their style.

"We'll be holding documentation days throughout the 14-county North Country, so if you live too far from St. Lawrence County for the first session, keep an eye out for a session closer to your home," Breit said.

TAUNY’s team will measure and photograph each quilt and record any information owners have about them. They are particularly interested in family stories about the quilts, and photographs and biographical information of the makers.

They will have the ability to scan photographs on site with permission, and any information is valued for its contribution to the story. All information collected will be added to TAUNY's research collection.

"We are interested in the whole range of what people have and make in our region. That includes art quilts, bedcoverings and other utilitarian quilts, items made from kits or directions in a magazine, or tied with yarn instead of being quilted with tiny stitches. Each piece is a part of the larger story of life in northern New York, past and present," Hallie Bond said.