The South County Museum Gazette

August 2025 – Edition – Late summer fun and entertainments at the Museum!

Greetings members and friends,

We had a wonderful July and are looking forward to all that August has in store for the Museum!

Up first - It is the last chance to submit a quilt for the 39^th Annual Quilt Show! All skill levels are welcome; don’t miss this opportunity to display your quilt in our beautiful Metz Exhibition Hall.

Submissions are due July 31^st. The show will take place from September 5^th to 7^th. If you are interested in displaying a quilt in the show, click here for details. Download the application here. We would love to include your work!

During the last day of the quilt show, we will be raffling off this beautiful quilt, Spring Parade by Jane Reardon. It boasts a stunning color palette and showcases many of our favorite traditional blocks. If you can't make the show in early September drop by the Museum during open hours to get your tickets or click here to purchase tickets online. You do not have to be present to win! All proceeds from the raffle directly benefit South County Museum’s textile programming.

Last chance to reserve your spot at our artist-in-residence, Sarah Byrd’s history talk, In Search of Domestic Art.

The event will be held at the Museum on Wednesday evening, July 30^th.  Doors Open at 5:30. The presentation begins at 6:00 pm. This event takes you behind the scenes of the Artist-in-Residence project, showcasing a selection of objects from the collection that serve as inspiration for Sarah.

This is a unique combination of artist talk, history lecture, and hands-on making with light food and refreshments available. Bring a little project to work on if you wish. This event is free to members. $10 for non-members. Tickets at the door.

Please RSVP to Info@southcountymuseum.org. (RSVPs help us know how many chairs to set up and, in case of hot weather, if we can pivot to a smaller AC lecture space.)

There are still some tickets left for Rebecca Kelly’s fashion history lecture, Making a Splash: Resort Fashion in New England: 1870-1920. The lecture will be held on Tuesday, August 5^th at 3:30 in the Seaside Ballroom at the Ocean House Hotel in Watch Hill.

The lecture will discuss Rhode Island and its resort towns from Newport to Watch Hill as fashion capitals that propelled New York's sportswear industry. During the Gilded Age, vibrant "Gibsonesque" women wearing simple shirtwaists and walking skirts for golf, tennis, or out driving became the idealized version of the sporty American woman.

Tickets are $35 and include a delightful refreshment service. Tickets can be purchased on the Ocean House  website.

Join Us at the Washington County Fair!Come visit us at the Washington County Fair from August 13th to 17th! We’ll be tabling all week, showcasing handcrafted items from our talented School of Craft artisans.

Support our museum and take home something truly special — each piece is made with care and tradition right here in our community. Pictured below is a wonderful promotional poster for the fair designed and printed in the museum press by artist Ellie Swanson.

Since 1967, the Washington County Fair has been a beloved Rhode Island tradition. The fair was originally held at the Perryville Grange in Wakefield until it outgrew its location and moved to its current grounds in Richmond. The fair emphasizes agriculture and offers a wide range of attractions, including livestock shows, food vendors, and entertainment. It has become a popular summer event, celebrating its rural heritage and providing family-friendly entertainment.

We can’t wait to see you there!

New in the collection, a remarkable collection of over 400 thimbles, generously donated by the family of Betty Tucker. Betty Tucker was a creative textile artist and homemaker. Her skills included rug hooking, braiding, embroidery, cross-stitch, quilting, and much more. Betty’s love for handcrafts extended into collecting thimbles.

Betty’s thimbles came from around the world, gathered over decades by herself, her family, and friends as travel souvenirs and tokens of affection. Each one is carefully documented in a small notebook she kept, noting where it came from, who gifted it, and when.

We look forward to accessioning these beautiful, well-loved pieces into our collection and sharing Betty’s story and her thimbles with visitors in a future display.

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News from our friends, supporters, and partners:

Our friends, the Narragansett Chamber of Commerce are hosting a Centennial Celebration Gala. The event will be held on August 22 at 7 pm at the Dunes Club.

From their website:

We’re “Puttin’ on the Ritz” at the historic and stunning Dunes Club in Narragansett.

Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating our local businesses and 100 years of impact by the Chamber of Commerce at one of Rhode Island’s most iconic seaside venues.

Your ticket includes cocktails, delicious hors d’oeuvres, musical entertainment featuring pianist Kevin Conrady and DJ Joe Vingi of Pleasure Sounds, dancing, and a photo booth to capture the memories.

Tickets can be found on the Narragansett Chamber of Commerce’s website or can be purchased here.

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Fall Preview & Save the Date

You’re Invited: Art in the Barns!

Join us for an unforgettable evening at our Art in the Barns night – a special fundraising celebration in support of the Museum. The event will be held on Saturday, September 13^th from 4 to 8 pm.

Start the evening with a cocktail hour and a chance to explore our beautiful campus until 5 pm. Then enjoy a buffet and captivating live craft demonstrations showcasing the talent and tradition of our school of craft until 6:45 pm. The evening will conclude in the lower barn with a seated desert and an exciting live auction starting at at 7 pm.

By attending, you’ll be contributing to the preservation of over 25,000 historic objects and supporting our mission to safeguard and share cultural heritage through hands-on craft education and creation.

Tickets are $125 and can be purchased here. Thank you for supporting our museum and community. We look forward to celebrating with you!

Something Wicked This Way Comes:

Join us for the opening party of our upcoming Fall exhibit on September 26th at 6:00 pm—an exhibition of early 20th-century historic Halloween costumes and Halloween traditions in South County.

More information and details about our spooktacular plans for the fall in the September edition of the South County Gazette.

Join the Museum! Becoming a member of South County Museum is more than just a way to support the Museum—it’s a way to explore local history and traditional craft. As a member, you’ll enjoy benefits like free admission, early access to workshop registration, and special members-only events. Your support helps us preserve the history of South County and the traditional skills of printing, blacksmithing, woodworking, spinning, weaving, and natural dyeing, ensuring that these skills are passed down to future generations.