Bead quilt on display

A memorial bead quilt commemorating the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks is on display at Mat-Su College through March 20.

The quilt has a big Alaska influence, as well as a prominent Valley one. Of the 576 3-inch by 3-inch squares, 88 are from Alaska and 31 of those are from the Valley.

The quilt is on display at Mat-Su College, in the hallway by the library. It will be there through March 20, and then it is off to ArtiGras, an arts festival in Anchorage sponsored by the Alaska Family Resource Center.

The quilt has traveled around the country, and it came to Alaska thanks to Jeanette Shanigan, a Wasilla woman who helped organize the Alaska end of the project. She is a member of the Mat-Su Valley Bead Society, the official hosts of the display.

Following the ArtiGras Festival, the quilt will travel to Homer, where the Homer Arts Council is hosting it through the end of the month.

Alaska Airlines was instrumental in making sure the quilt came to Alaska, Shanigan said. The airline donated the transportation cost, which amounted to more than $1,500.

"It would have been tough to come up with the money on our own to bring it to Alaska without that donation," Shanigan said. "It helped us out."