Cabin Fever Quilt Show draws a crowd
The 26th annual Cabin Fever Quilt Show held at the Father Burns Parish Hall in Portola on April 21 and 22 went off without a hitch, with quilts reflecting the event’s spring bouquet theme.
Quilt racks were overflowing with 113 judged quilts, six antique quilts and four Piecemakers quilts on loan especially for the show.
The Piecemakers quilts are based upon calendar patterns, taken from the Piecemakers calendar, guild member Donna Crary explained. “They traveled here for the show from Costa Mesa, California, and it is the first time we have been able to have them in the show!” The dates on each special quilt come from the calendar year the pattern was based upon.
Some guild members said that attendance this year broke records, with 164 visiting the show and voting on quilts and quilt art on Saturday and 90 attending on Sunday.
Crary also noted that attendees donated a total of $115 toward the guild’s community service projects, which include such items as blankets made for the rescue animals at High Sierra Animal Rescue, as well as a program called TADSAW, or Train a Dog, Save a Warrior, which is located in San Antonio, Texas, and the Portola Volunteer Fire Department, for assistance with setting up and taking down the show.
Vendors such as local fiber artist Lorraine Nielsen of Shear Bliss attended, including the ladies of Sierra Stitch n’ Stuf, a machine embroidery business out of Blairsden.
In addition to the many judged quilts and quilted art pieces, there were also many pieces on display from the Round Robin Quilt Challenge, which involved groups of two or more quilters passing a quilt back and forth to add pieces, resulting in a cohesive finished piece of art.
Refreshments in the tearoom had many making a beeline for homemade cookies and cupcakes, made by guild members, and attendees also meandered around the Country Store, looking at a variety of fabrics in all shades and prints.
At 4 p.m. on Sunday, attendees, quilters, family members and volunteers gathered for the calling of the votes for the best quilt in each category, according to votes made by attendees.
Barbara Jackson received her ribbon in the medium quilt category, Penny Holt took a ribbon for her small quilt and Jeff Allen-Kantrowitz earned his ribbon for wearable art.
Donna Claty took three ribbons: the Challenge quilt category, machine embroidered and large quilt. Barbara Halliwell also took three ribbons for her quilt Garden in Bloom in the categories of decorative art, hand embroidered and member’s choice, which is the only quilt category voted upon by guild members.
Once ribbons had been handed out and much applause given, prize drawing tickets were pulled for a variety of prize baskets, followed by the much anticipated drawing for the 2018 Opportunity Quilt, which was won by Darlene Pekovich of Graeagle.
The Cabin Fever Quilt Guild meets on the fourth Monday of each month at the Portola Library, starting at 6 p.m. with a mini workshop, followed by a business meeting at 7 p.m. For those that may have been inspired by the quilt show, learn more by contacting Homestead Fabrics at 832-0446.
