Feature Article July 24, 2003
LAND O' LAKES NewsWeb HomeA Kaleidoscope Of Quilts
St Pauls Anglican Church was filled on Saturday, not just with parishoners, but with quilts. The church displayed 118 quilts and quilted items for the Wilton Creek Fabric Shop Show, Quilts & Tea. They ranged from one very old circa 1880-90s quilt to ones from today.
The older quilts tend to be more subtle and not as bright or intense as more modern ones, and older quilts are usually handmade, giving them a different feel. Although traditional quilting is done by hand, machines can make it faster and more comfortable for many modern quilters. The quality and workmanship is still astounding, as was evident in many of the beautiful pieces on display on Saturday.
Not everything on display was a quilt meant as a bedspread. There were wall hangings, table runners, table cloths, a quilted dress and other smaller pieces. There were several oriental-styled pieces, one of which was a wall hanging entitled Treasures to Behold. It was inspired by the book Japanese Quilts by Jill Riddell and Yoko Watamabe, and won an honorable mention at the Ontario Juried Show in 2003 in Waterloo. There were several other award-winning pieces on display, another of which was Living in a Vortex which depicted the struggle for animals to stay alive and free in an ever-changing fast-paced world.
The subjects and themes of the quilts varied as much as the colours used to create them, and the church itself became a patchwork as every pew held several pieces, and people were able to wander among them and admire the work and talent that went into each one. There were pieces with traditional designs as well as ones with birds, stars, funky chickens, ducks and several photo-transfer quilts. Slips of paper were handed out for a viewers choice selection, though it was difficult to pick favourites. Each of the pieces was unique, and it was clear that much work and love had gone into their creation.
Also on display were quilted wall hangings made by women in South Frontenac, who volunteer their time and talent to create reproductions of the logos from the former townships of Bedford, Loughborough, Portland and Storrington. These townships were amalgamated to form South Frontenac and the hangings will be displayed in council chambers.
The show was a great display of local talent, and would make a wonderful annual summer event.
