When Marianne Fons picked up quilting as a hobby in the 1970s, she never imagined it would lead to her own magazine and a national television show.

"It just seemed like something interesting to do," said Fons, who began quilting with friend Liz Porter in a beginner's class in Iowa.

Three decades later, Fons and Porter are now nationally known as the founders of Love of Quilting, the most widely circulated quilting magazine in the country. They also host the PBS series "Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting."

Fons was on hand Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The People's Place Quilt Museum to speak with staff and patrons. The museum is celebrating its 20th anniversary with "Showcase of Quilts: Dazzling Contemporary Creations." The yearlong exhibit features 25 antique and contemporary quilts, including six by Fons and Porter.

The museum opened in 1988 and has garnered national attention from quilting magazines as well as the New York Times and Washington Post.

"We've had many different exhibits throughout the years. This is a very special feature," said Merle Good, museum co-executive director. The Fons and Porter exhibit has drawn both local and out-of-state quilters.

"We TiVo her show — we watch every episode," Mary Lou Strano, of Bethel, Conn., said. Strano visits Lancaster several times a year. As a new quilter, she was particularly eager to see pieces by the Love of Quilting duo.

"When you look at quilts done by Fons and Porter, you see both form and function," said Jan Mast, museum manager and exhibit curator. The quilts are noted for their striking precision and "scrappy" fabric use. Some integrate more than 1,000 miniature, stitched triangles and dozens of fabric colors.

"Quilters have their own lingo," Fons said. She explained quilting appliqué and patchwork techniques and spoke of her admiration for Lancaster's renowned Amish-made quilts. Fons also took time to discuss how quilters have adapted to newer technologies. Top-quality sewing machines enable quilts to be completed with more speed and precision.

"Quilters tend to be impatient," said Fons. She noted that children she has taught especially enjoy designing quilts with computer programs.

An increasingly tech-savvy world is something that increases the value of quilting, Fons said. "In today's age, to make something by yourself is just so satisfying, " she said.

Quilting is also a therapeutic process that allows "me to think through other problems," Fons said. "I'll sit and begin, and by the time I'm done I'll have my solution — and a beautiful quilt."

The People's Place Quilt Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is on the second floor of the historic Old Country Store along Route 340, Intercourse. For more information, call (800) 828-8218, ext. 231 or visit www.ppquiltmuseum.com.

E-mail: kobrien@lnpnews.com