Quilt Show 2025 Encompassing, Enlightening, Entertaining

By DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY

Cleaver Senior Staff Writer

HARRISON – The Clare County Crazy Quilters held their annual quilt show event Monday, Oct. 6 at First Congregational Church in Harrison. The theme was “A Garden Party” and as usual the ever enthusiastic Val Kusiak dove in with a topic-appropriate costume: this year she was an exuberant butterfly.

Each quilt show features an auction of donated items, and this year it became a silent auction with perusers jotting down their wishes in the form of bids.

The Crazy Quilters take on various challenges over the year and this year it was a State Quilt Block challenge, with some nine creative interpretations of the Mighty Mitt displayed along with others.

The group also had worked in a Blotto [Block Lottery] quilt which had been won by fellow quilter Sherry Hileman.

This year’s quilting presentation was provided by Janice Jenkins of Elm Creek Ltd. in Farwell. She brought forth an extensive and highly informative presentation titled “A Journey on History of Quilting:. That history dates back to 3400 B.C. as pieced clothing, was nothing like what is considered quilting today. She moved on through 12^th Century Europe where it evolved as clothing under armor, citing the oldest quilt in history that dates to 1360 A.D. and viewable in a London exhibit. The 17^th Century brought bed covers typically made of whole cloth, chintz and other fabrics. The 1840s had dyed fibers woven into big black and white pieces such as plaids. The 1850s brought fabric dying rather than the previous fiber dying; this led to printing and the introduction of colors. With the introduction of the first sewing machine in 1790 and the Spinning Ginny, a basic cotton gin, mass production of fabric was enabled.

As noted, the presentation was extensive, but essentially it took the listener through the further progression through slavery and child labor-enabled, inexpensive fabric production; the development of printed and shared patterns; the extensive use of quilts in pioneer times; their use as part of the Underground Railroad; as burial cloths for some 25,000 who died as they traveled westward via wagon trains, etc.; the many Civil War quilts that left with soldiers but never came home. In the Victorian Era paper piecing was introduced; little fabric was being produced by 1920, a time when commemorative quilting was being done, and focus was on industrial strength fabrics [i.e. Hindenburg dirigible]. Jenkins said that when the 1930s arrived, color erupted with printing on fabrics rather than the fiber, and people wanted to be happy.

 It was noted that in the war years of the 1940s, people were too busy to quilt, and fiber was directed to blanket and uniform production; the 19502 and 1960s saw focus shift to the bicentennial with lots of red, white and blue, as well as a move to wall hanging art. Jenkins noted that 1980-200 saw pattern and color fabrics galore with quilt shops reproducing past time period, and adding, “That’s why all of you are here.”

Modern quilts have taken a turn, however, with misaligning of standard patterns.

She also noted that the advent of rotary cutters and long-arm quilting machines have resulted in quickly produced “zippity doo dah” quilts, and people having about 40 quilts stacked up in their closet.

 “We all have more time now, live longer and have access to all the things available now, that our ancestors didn’t have,” Jenkins said.

She had some of her own quilt work to show and tell, and finished her talk by presenting a book she had brought to give away as a door prize, and which Jenkins said the winner must promise to share.. That book went to Penny Stokes.

As always, the show also included a meal topped off with a bounty of tasty dessert treats.

This year’s CCCC raffle quilt “Twisted Triangles” was pieced by Val Kusiak and completed by the group. Speaker Jenkins did the drawing honors, and the winning ticket was that of longtime Crazy Quilter Kay Brandt.

The Show and Tell portion of this year’s event saw a multitude of quilts presented, evidencing the vast amount of time these quilters commit to their craft. All had a story to tell about their work and the circumstances that spurred it. One of particularly sweet note was when two baby quilts were given to Kusiak who is awaiting the anticipated arrival of two grandchildren.

Following Show and Tell, there was an update on the work being done by Rayola. Keri Withers is the founder of the Rayola organization whose mission is to “serve the children and youth who suffer the consequences of other people’s actions.” In so doing, the organization hopes to “provide comfort, hope and peace in the lives of those who need it most.” Withers had previously made a presentation to the Clare County Crazy Quilters, and since that time the CCCCs have been sewing to aid those children who find themselves in foster care. Onsite at the Oct. 6 event was Kelly Blaisdell who again informed of the needs of the Rayola group and how local sewers can continue to help by contributing to the foster kids quilt kits.

Therein, was completed another thoughtful, informative and inspiring event. One must wonder what will be in store for 2026 – and what innovative costume idea may be afoot.

© Clare County Cleaver