Karen McTavish began working as a longarm quilter in 1997, a time when machine quilting was just beginning to be recognized as an alternative to time-consuming hand quilting. Almost three decades later, her unique machine quilting technique — known as McTavishing — creates a continuous, dense background design adding texture and motion to quilts. It is a popular option for the many customers at McTavish's Minnesota studio.

This exhibit highlights the stylistic impact of McTavish's quilting technique on quilts made by contemporary artists and by McTavish.