Canal Quilters celebrate 30th annual quilt show in new venue
The 2017 Opportunity Quilt will be available for raffle at the Canal Quilters annual quilt show on Aug. 11 – 13 at the Coshocton County Career Center. This 93” x 112” quilt is made with 154 nine patch blocks using the Eleanor Burns positive and negative nine patch technique and her pattern Nine Patch Party Quilt. Tickets are $5 and are available at the show.
COSHOCTON – The Coshocton Canal Quilters is celebrating its 30th annual quilt show this year in a new venue.
“We loved the ambiance of the Presbyterian Church, but I’m really excited that we’re having it at the career center,” said Sue Carlisle, member of the club.
This year’s show will be at the Coshocton County Career Center, located on Airport Road beside Hopewell School.
“It will be air conditioned, there’s plenty of parking, it’s all on one floor, and it’s in close proximity to the highway,” said Carlisle.
The more than 200 quilts will be on display in the entrance, the cafeteria area, and the hallways of the career center on Aug. 11 – 13. Friday and Saturday’s show will be from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday’s show will be 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. There is a $6 entrance fee and children 12 and under are admitted free.
“All the money we raise goes to support our mission to help in the community,” said Marty Moore-McConnell, member of the group. “We’ve been very generous in our purpose of raising money to support our community.”
In honor of the 30th anniversary, a variety of members will have demonstrations every hour on the hour throughout the entire show each day.
“Quilters love learning about stuff,” said Carlisle. “If they can see someone demonstrate something, they like that.”
When entering the show, make sure to grab a copy of the booklet put together by member Jane Kreidler that explains each category of quilts, lists all the vendors and sponsors, and tells about the Coshocton Canal Quilters Guild.
As usual, the show will feature the Veterans Hall of Honor, which is a collection of patriotic quilts given to veterans in the community, a scavenger hunt for kids using quilts called “I Spy” quilts, and the community quilt display, which is new this year, and features quilts given to oncology patients, kidney dialysis patients, and the maternal child health clinic for babies.
“The real purpose, as in the old sewing bee times, there’s a lot of comradery,” said Moore-McConnell “We also work together several days a month making the community quilts.”
Other than the new display featuring the community quilts, the members are working on something else very special for the show.
“This is our 30th anniversary and to celebrate, a couple of women are trying to get as many charter members to submit their quilts to the show,” said Carlisle. “We have 10 so far.”
The show not only features quilts, but other items such as home décor and needlework. There will also be a boutique, all handmade items made by members for the public to purchase. Plan to stay for lunch as the cafeteria will have boxed lunches under the direction of Tina Dobson. Twelve vendors, including two new vendors and two national vendors will be at the show.
“We draw people from a lot of places, especially since the National Quilting Association who used to do shows in Columbus, disbanded,” said Carlisle. “That left a big gap and a lot of women in these areas like to go to quilt shows and get new ideas. They also come not just to see the quilts, but to buy fabric. We’ve got a lot of high-quality quilters that had their quilts shown nationally and inter-nationally. It makes these quilters strive for new things and to better themselves.”
Carlisle moved to Coshocton in 2001 and started in the quilting guild in 2004.
“Once you start doing it, you get really passionate about it,” she said. “You see ideas all around you and it opens up a whole other way of looking at the world than you did before.”
She also said that she and the other members enjoy helping each other and giving them advice on their quilts.
“I like helping other women and giving them advise as with most of the women who enjoy spreading the happiness of their craft,” she said.
Although the show is 30 years old, it still takes a lot of hard work and preparation to get the show up and running each year. They post to social media, their website, members type and label quilting, get booklets ready, make ribbons, 64 total, and then help set up before the show opens.
“We’ve been blessed by having members conscientious and dedicated to making it happen,” said Moore-McConnell. “It takes a lot of dedication and advanced planning. A lot of hard work goes into planning this show that people don’t see.”
Thankfully, members of the 4-H Leadership Club helps set up and tear down the show.
“The whole idea is for people come and have a good day and help us pick best of show,” said Moore-McConnell. “We really want to keep the love of quilting alive. There’s a lot of different ways to quilt. The way people perceive quilting even 10 years ago, it’s different now. If you can straight-line sew, you can quilt.”
Carlisle hopes that the quilt show will inspire someone to start quilting.
“It’s showcasing your work and sharing your craft with others,” she said. “Maybe it will inspire others to do the same.”
For more information on the Coshocton Canal Quilters, see their website, sites.google.com/site/coshoctoncanalquilters or visit them on Facebook.
Category: Clubs & Organizations
