One of the things people from outside the south east continually comment on when visiting the area is the concentration of talent and skill that can be observed in the area.
Gifted painters, writers, athletes and craftpersons are well represented in the region, and it is always a treat to take in a venue where this skill and dedication to a calling is showcased.
So it is with the eighth annual Quilt Show and Sale, to be held in the town of Carlyle concurrent to the community's famous Homespun Craft Show and Sale.
With an active and well-represented quilting community in Carlyle and the surrounding area, the show brings in and displays some truly gifted quilters, and taking the time to peruse their collected works will always leave the visitor surprised at not just the level of craftsmanship, but the imaginative spirit that goes into these utilitarian works.
In some ways a lost art within larger communities, the creation of a quilt is a time-intensive and creative processes where the end result is often a stunningly beautiful and wonderfully warm item that could be framed as readily as it can be used to cover a bed.
The Carlyle quilting community has recently sent off more than 40 infant and adolescent quilts to various charity organizations, a testament to the willing spirit of the quilting club, as well as the talent of the quilters themselves.Held at Memorial Hall on Main Street in Carlyle, the Quilt Show will feature displays of work by quilters from near and far, all hung for easier viewing.
Turing the hall into a bright and colourful tapestry, the hanging quilts offer the public a chance to see the imaginative and elegant quilt designs that the contemporary quilters are producing.
Besides the displays, which are breathtaking enough, the show will feature quilting demonstrations, as well as a selection of vendors.
Whether you are an experienced quilter, a novice, or one of the demonstrations manages to convince you to try your hand at this time-honoured craft, the vendor tables will have the materials, patterns, and equipment that will help you along in their quilting experience.
Not a competition, the quilt display is simply a chance for quilters to show off their handiwork, and pick up some new ideas and inspirations from the work of other craftspersons and exchange notes with them to help grow and nurture your own quilting skills.
As well, a quilt-block challenge will be underway over the two days of the show, with the theme 'Under the Stars' as the driving idea behind the work.
Quilters are invited to enter a 12.5 inch x 12.5 inch square, using the above-mentioned theme as inspiration.
The public will vote on the finished squares, with the originator of the winning square taking home the coveted People's Choice Award.
The squares will then be put together into a quilt for auction, with the proceeds going to a community project.
Any quilters who are interested in entering their quilts, either new or old, into the display will also be eligible to win a 'Quilters Dream Basket,' filled with goodies to help advance the craft.
Submissions of either display quilts or 'Under the Star' squares will be accepted until Thursday, Sept. 16.
The annual Quilt Show and Sale will run in Memorial Hall concurrent to Homespun, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 18-19.
Doors will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday, and will remain open until 6 p.m.
Sunday the show will be open from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
To secure an entry form, or to see any details about the show, please visit www.homespuncanada.ca/quiltshowandsale
You can also contact event organizer Lauren Hume at 453-2824 or 577-7834.
