MOUNT GILEAD- The Park Avenue School gymnasium was a feast of colors and creativity for the two day Quilting Show October 1 and 2. It was the first quilt show for the guild since 2019 with more than 200 quilts on display and more than 300 visitors going through the show.
Quilting Thru the Times was the show’s theme, highlighting vintage quilts, sewing machines and antiques.
However, it was the stories of the quilts and quilters that stole the hearts of visitors as they heard or read the history of each quilt written by quilters.
Quilts were often made for children or grandchildren and some were part of a special guild challenge or event. There were a number of veterans’ quilts, quilts made for Heartbeat and Snuggled in Hope quilts made for Flying Horse Farms patients.
A favorite feature was the “Bed Turning” with the stories of a half dozen quilts told by Kim Porter and Cheryl Jason as they displayed each quilt.
An emotional story was about the quilt made by Barb Beck’s mother Delores Watson. It was made while she battled cancer and is its intricate pattern was hand stitched, sometimes while she was at doctor’s appointments.
Another much-loved story was about a quilt made by a group of Marine veterans’ wives. It had their dog tags and photos stitched on along with stories of their memories in Viet Nam. Semper Fi is the quilt’s title and it is part of the Arizona Quilt documentation project.
There was also a quilt from Janet Walker’s family in the bed turning made by the Amish. Marilyn Dabney’s grandmother’s quilt was made from feed sacks along with a quilt made by a blind lady and a Denim quilt in a horse motif belonging to Susan Keightley.
Visitors marveled at Karen LeSueur’s quilt made with vintage linens such as handkerchiefs, pillow cases and table cloths. She received a first place – Best of Show for her quilt at both the Delaware County Fair and Morrow County Fair.
The raffle quilt this year was in honor of guild member Dorothy Houpt who passed away in June this year. Houpt chose the fabrics and pattern and guild members completed the project.
Julie Blankenship won the raffle quilt, which was valued at $4,330 by professional quilt appraiser Linda Caudill. Caudill said good quilting is valued at $30 per hour.
Viewers’ choice were: Best of show-Gail Corley, Cross Stitch Quilt; Hand quilted Bed Quilt – Kim Porter, Grandmother’s Flower Basket; Machine Quilted Bed Quilt – Ann Sweeney, Star of Bethlehem; Hand Quilted Lap Quilt – Vicky Obenour, Gordon’s Stars and Stripes; Machine quilted Lap quilt- Vicky Obenour, Doug’s Grandmothers’ Garden.
Crib Quilt – Ann Sweeney, Mommy & Me; Wall Hanging – Sharon Ault, Ella to the Rescue; Applique Quilt – Gail Corley, Merry, Merry Snowmen; Mixed Technique Quilt – Gail Corley, Cross Stitch Quilts;
Antique Quilt – Kim Porter, Gingerbread Man; Personal Item – Sue Beck, The Great I Am;
Home Décor – Sue Beck, Witches night out.
Guild member Cheryl Jason said the Morrow County Quilting Guild was established in 1992. She said quilt lovers of all skill levels are welcome. The proceeds from the bi-annual quilt show and quilt raffle are donated to local charities.
Meetings are the third Saturday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, Cherry Street in Mount Gilead. You can find them on Face Book, Morrow County Quilting Guild.
