Margery Cosgrove is a nationally recognized quilter whose work hangs in museums and colleges across the country.

The Thomas Ford Memorial Library in Western Springs now can add its name permanently to that list.

About 40 people were on hand June 19 for a small ceremony where Cosgrove, a Western Springs resident, dedicated her latest work to the Children’s Department.
Carrying a learning theme, the 3- by 4-foot quilt depicts a tree of knowledge, library Director Ann Kozak said.

“What we wanted to convey was that reading and knowledge are important, so children are pictured reading under the tree reading books,” Kozak said. “The leaves in the tree are in the order of a rainbow spectrum, so there is a little science involved, too.”

The background includes an idyllic scene with a church, a house and tall pine trees that, Kozak said, create a park-like setting that typifies the community.

“I wanted it to be something adults also would enjoy,” Cosgrove said. “As a quilter I tried to make it interesting.”

Cosgrove said she has been displaying her work at the library for the past several years, changing the exhibit every month or so. She then decided to make one and just leave it there permanently.

“One day she came to me and said she was really interested in making a quilt for the library, particularly for the children of Western Springs,” Kozak said. “She just took off from there.”

Once the design was decided, Cosgrove began by experimenting with a number of colors and fabrics. After that, it all went together pretty quickly, the artist said.

“It was not an easy quilt,” Cosgrove said. “It went together pretty quickly because I did sort of have direction and a point of view. If you don’t know where you are going, you can’t get there.”

As for how long it took to complete the quilt, Cosgrove said the answer is a little complicated.

“To make a quilt takes time,” she said. “I would say I accomplished it in 3 months, and 30 years.”

After spending two years at the University of Louisville studying fabric design, Cosgrove continued her studies at the Art Institute of Chicago.

She then worked as an artist, became an accomplished weaver, then found quilting.

“It seemed like it brought everything, the art, the construction and the design, all together,” she said. “I have been quilting for 30 years at least.”

One of her quilts is in Museum of American Folk Art in New York; another hangs in the offices of the University of Wisconsin’s agriculture center.

She is member of the Centennial Quilters of La Grange and the Salt Creek Quilters.
Kozak sees the quilt also as an example of the community where it was created.

“I think one of the things that continues to amaze me about Western Springs is the talent and the generosity of the people who live here, and how willing they are to share that with the library,” Kozak said. “They cherish the library and are more than generous with us in terms of helping out. Margery is just an outstanding example of that, willing to go above and beyond. We are extremely grateful to her.”