search articles:     from the issue of April 10, 2008         Crews to deliver Nebraska Lecture  BY ASHLEY WASHBURN, RESEARCH Textiles scientist Patricia Cox Crews will discuss how quilts reflect American culture and the lives of quilt makers during an April 17 Nebraska Lecture.   Crews   The free public lecture, "Quilts: Reflections of Trade, Technology and Tradit-ion," will be at 3:30 p.m. in the Nebraska Union auditorium, with a reception to follow. The presentation is part of The Nebraska Lectures: Chancellor's Distinguished Lecture Series. Crews will discuss how quilts reveal their makers' geographic, ethnic, religious and political affiliations, as well as their access to materials and technology. Regional variations in patterns, fabric and threading reveal a great deal about how the makers lived, she said. "Most women left few records prior to the 20th century. The objects they made are some of the best documents from which to glean insights about their lives," said Crews, a Willa Cather Professor in the Department of Textiles, Clothing and Design and director of the International Quilt Study Center and Museum. Through her academic career, Crews has combined interests in the science and history of textiles. Her research on how natural dyes fade led to development of amber-tinted ultra-violet light filters to better preserve museum exhibits. Crews' research also contributed to industry guidelines for UV-protective clothing. Her scholarship in textiles history has focused on American quilts. She has written numerous publications and books on the history, conservation and performance of textiles. These include "Nebraska Quilts and Quiltmakers," which won the Smithsonian's Frost Prize for Distinguished Scholarship in American Crafts in 1993, and "Wild by Design: Two Hundred Years of Innovation and Artistry in American Quilts," which was named the best book in the field by the Textiles Society of America in 2004. Crews joined UNL in 1984 and became a full professor in 1996. A year later, she became founding director of the quilt studies center. With a collection of more than 2,300 quilts, the center holds the world's largest public collection of antique and contemporary quilts. The Nebraska Lectures feature distinguished UNL faculty, are designed for general audiences and provide insights about some of the university's leading research, scholarly and creative activity. Lectures are sponsored by the Office of the Chancellor, the UNL Research Council and the Office of Research. GO TO: ISSUE OF APRIL 10 NEWS HEADLINES FOR APRIL 10 Making the move downtown Crews to deliver Nebraska Lecture Francis aids experiential ed program Game On CASNR Week events open with April 12 bull fry Extension expertise on national Web site Extension program propels nutrition ed National Libraries Week events begin April 14 New online system tracks room usage RESEARCH DISCUSSION ROTC Lab Day 733142S38106X