At the Denver-area quilt-in, Marriott's iron hissed as she glided it over each cut piece of fabric, readying it for participants like sisters Kate Waters, 56, and Carol Summers, 52.

Quilts in the jubilee exhibit were inspired by Infinite Variety, a seminal 2011 red-and-white-quilt show in New York, said Karey Bresenhan, president of Quilts Inc., which hosts the Houston event.