MOOSE JAW — Some very creatively crafted quilts were on display at the Temple Gardens Centre, where hundreds of artisans of all ages displayed some of their finest works.
The Prairie Hearts Quilters’ Guild recently held its two-day quilt show under the theme, “Think Outside the Block.” The event featured 205 quilts, several vendors, live demonstrations and a special trunk show.
The Canadian Quilters Association ribbon winner — the highest show award — went to Lori Tourscher, the People’s Choice Award winners were Lois Gagnon and Rebecca Bryant, and the judges’ Best in Show Award went to Shirley Mathieson.
Kailey Lowe, a student at A.E. Peacock Collegiate, was one of the youngest artisans to display a quilt, entitled “Diamond,” which received the top award for the New Generation (18 years and younger) category.
“Honestly, I was really nervous for (the show) at first, but it was a lot of fun,” she said.
This is Lowe’s second year with the guild, with the Grade 11 student explaining that she’d wanted to pursue quilting since Grade 9. That opportunity arose after she visited the guild’s booth at Sidewalk Days and then attended a club meeting, where the co-owner of Quilters’ Haven offered to help her.
“It’s kind of neat to see how all the (pattern) blocks will come together … . They form such really cool things,” Lowe said.
With a laugh, the 17-year-old said it has been tough learning the terminology of the hobby, especially after attending her first few classes and not understanding what members were saying.
“Once … I got in my head that no one was here to judge me or to be against me, it made it a lot easier for me to ask for help,” she continued. “And honestly, I consider most of the people in my guild friends, which is kind of funny because I’m a lot younger than them — drastically, sometimes.”
Moreover, Lowe sometimes uses the wrong words when describing something and receives odd looks from other quilters.
“Eventually we get to where I need to be, but it’s a work in progress. I’m getting better,” she laughed. “I call it thread now; I don’t call it string. That was a big no-no.”
With her Diamond quilt, Lowe said she’s always loved the log cabin pattern since she can form different shapes, like a diamond. She also liked that she didn’t have to create curves or triangles.
Continuing, the 17-year-old said she saw the diamond pattern in the book “Quilt in a Day,” by renowned quilter Eleanor Burns, while she loved the other patterns she saw.
“I was always too scared to try (the log cabin), so I finally decided to try it and I’m really happy with how it turned out. It’s probably my second-favourite one I’ve done so far,” Lowe said.
With a chuckle, the youth admitted that she didn’t know she had won the New Generation award and only saw it during the interview; she felt “pretty good” about winning it. Her ignorance was understandable since she was working in the corner boutique selling members’ handmade items.
Meanwhile, Colleen Lawrence was the event’s featured quilter, known for working with batik fabrics and using a long-arm machine to stitch together multiple layers. The quilt she displayed had a pink, green and white flower-type design.
“I’m very pleased and very honoured that I was voted for this position. And I’ve had lots of fun trying to figure out what I was going to put up,” she said. “And I didn’t have to borrow any pieces (because) they were all in my home.”
Lawrence said using a long-arm machine is great and is something she does with her husband. Normally, she sews and he golfs in the summer, while they both sew during the winter.
The machine contains roughly 7,000 computerized designs and can create intricate patterns that other devices can’t, she continued. Moreover, the machine takes the pressure off her shoulders and arms.
Lawrence added that she is one of four quilters in Moose Jaw who use a long-arm machine, while she thought about 20 people in Saskatchewan used the device.
