Quilter earns best of show
Quilt: Priscilla “Pam” Williams stands by her award winning quilt, Bells & Bows. Beacon photo by Josie Sellers
COSHOCTON – When Priscilla “Pam” Williams was invited to enter the July quilt show at Bob Evans Farm in Rio Grande she was in Florida. She only had one quilt with her to take a picture of and submit to the show, but that was all she needed to be a big winner.
“We came home and I got the quilt ready and took it down,” said Williams of Coshocton. “We had plans to see the show, but I kind of forgot about it until I received a letter and found out I won first place (in the bed quilt category) and best of show.”
Her 73 x 90 quilt is called Bells & Bows and is modeled after a parasol girl quilt her aunt had.
“When I was a young girl I admired it,” Williams said. “I looked for the pattern and finally found something that was similar to it. I changed the pattern a little bit and gave it a different border.”
She also found 1930s reproduction fabric to make the quilt with.
“It’s very special to me and is one of my favorites,” Williams said.
After she found out she won, Williams made sure to check out the show, which she believed featured around 50 quilts.
“It was a beautiful show,” she said. “They had a little history with each quilt so it was nice to go along and read that.”
Williams’ quilting story started more than 40 years ago.
“I always sewed for my girls, but I didn’t start quilting until my in-laws gave us a Jenny Lind bed,” she said. “It needed a quilt so I made my first one and since then it’s become addictive.”
She finds quilting very relaxing and also enjoys being creative with them.
“I like taking an idea and making some changes to make it my own,” Williams said.
Her house is full of quilts and she has made sure her children and grandchildren have plenty of quilts to keep them warm.
“I’ve made 60 full size quilts and I have no idea how many smaller projects I’ve done,” Williams said.
She isn’t sure if she will enter the show again, but she certainly is glad she did it this year.
“I’ve entered a lot of shows and got a lot of ribbons, but this is the first time I’ve earned prize money,” Williams said.
She plans to buy fabric with her winnings.
“Fabric is so expensive anymore,” Williams said. “Some of it is $10 to $11 a yard, but I just love quilting.”
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: People & Places
