Kalona is no stranger to the crafted art of quilting, being named the “quilt capital” of Iowa. Woodin Wheel, located in the heart of Kalona, is the largest American-made quilt retailer in the Midwest with a wide array of hand-crafted Amish and Mennonite quilts that are new and old, with antiques aplenty. They have hosted the Kalona Quilt Show for the last 51 years and this year is no exception.   

Over 200 quilts will line the walls at the Kalona Community Center from Thursday, Apr. 27 to Saturday, Apr. 29 for the 52nd annual Kalona Quilt Show, a quintessential experience of Kalona. The price of admission covers all three days.

During the quilt show, there will be different vendors in addition to host Katie Karnes with Woodin Wheel, selling gifts, books about quilts, and more. The Kalona Chamber and Kalona Historical Village will draw the winner for a raffle quilt on Saturday, Apr. 29, at 3 p.m.. 

The quilts for sale at the show all vary in size, design, and price, going anywhere from $4 to $1,200. Karnes recalls a quilt that sold for $16,000 in recent years. Various factors can lead to their exorbitant price.

“Just the intricacy of most of them would be [why they can be pricey], it’s all done by hand,” Karnes said. “You can see the intricacy of the detail of the work on it. One little block [of the quilt] usually takes about 40 hours to make.”

The quilt show is a big deal and brings buyers from all corners of America. It is another way to help put Kalona on the map. This is the aspect that excites Karnes the most. 

“We have different ladies from all around the United States. It’s always fun to see where all the different people come from,” Karnes said.

The homemade aspect creates more unique quilts than machine-manufactured quilts that lose that special touch. Many people come to the quilt show just to learn new tricks and see new designs. 

“We also [see] a lot of quilters come just to see what’s new,” Karnes said. “[I’m excited] to see where different people come from and the different quilts, because you always get some patterns [that] are more prevalent in the years than others.”

The show also features antique quilts. To be an antique quilt, it has to be made within a specific 100-year range, between 1840-1940, according to Karnes.

Each new quilt show breeds new opportunities to advance the show. Using the community center’s new gym has helped the show gain more space, allowing for hanging quilts from existing PVC piping compared to roping in 2x4s to create a “tight maze,” according to Karnes. The new look creates “little booths” that create more organized spacing. When a quilt is sold, another will take its place, creating a new look every time there is a sale.

Most quilts not sold at the show return to Woodin Wheel to be purchased at a later date. This is what helps aid Woodin Wheel in their “largest retailer of quilts in the Midwest” title. Some quilts not sold go back with their creator. 

Karnes estimates that around 50 quilts sell at each show, leaving another three quarters of the quilts homeless. You can help these quilts find a home.

Woodin Wheel, along with its quilt collection, sells various antiques furniture, gifts, knick-knacks and even locally made soap which leaves an impression on the senses for those browsing. Some of these locally crafted items and antiques will make their way to the community center to join the quilt show.

Woodin Wheel is open Monday through Saturday from 10-4 and is closed on Sundays. Located in the heart of downtown Kalona, 515 B Ave, it is the perfect place to visit before and after their impressive quilt show.