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I would like to say it all begins with the ribbon cutting, but actually the show begins Tuesday evening when we begin moving all the racks and scrims to the Church to begin set up on Wednesday.
The young men who came to help were such a big help. We certainly appreciate them and their Grandmother’s for bringing them. Laura’s husband Bill made this wonderful rack that made moving the PVC pipes easier.
And then like magic the racks are up, the scrims are hung and we begin hanging the quilts.
During this time the volunteers who worked so hard to get all your quilts registered are busy taking them in and sorting them into sizes and colors.
And the boutique set up people are very busy in the lower level, organizing all the donated treasures. Many people head straight to the boutique before the quilt show.
The Ribbon Cutting is Always Fun
From left, Coast Guard Festival Executive Director Tracy Riley, Lighthouse Quilt Guild co-chair Laura Marcus-Nolan, Lighthouse
Quilt Guild co-chair Susan Harper, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Lisa Pietruszka, READ Ottawa Executive Director Vicki Ellis, READ
Ottawa Board of Directors Vice President Maggie McKeithan, and Second Christian Reformed Church Pastor Tim Blackmon
participate in a ribbon cutting at the guild’s 32nd annual quilt show, kicking off this year’s Coast Guard Festival.
Donated Quilt this year
Laura explained that this quilt was created by 26 of our members to be donated to READ Ottawa, a nonprofit organization that provides free one on-one literacy tutoring to adults across Ottawa County.
Maggie McKeithan, Vice President of READ Ottawa’s Board of Directors, said the organization was fortunate to be chosen this year and looks forward to
raising money to support its mission of strengthening literacy and language fluency among adults with this quilt.
“We’re really excited to receive this quilt, and we will be planning an upcoming raffle with the goal to raise funds to support READ’s tutors and learners,”
McKeithan said. “(The quilt) is really fun. I think quilting is such a beautiful art, and more that, I can see the time that the quilters put into it and it’s so
special.”
Thank you to Laura and Susan for putting it all together and for Darla Parks for quilting it.
Vendors
We were pleased to have two great vendors this year. I know that is not many, we have limited space, but they each have such a variety of items that it was great to have them both.
The Tribune’s interview with Laura and Susan
“Our different categories are based on size and … if it was quilted using a stationary machine, meaning just a regular sewing machine, or a moveablemachine, which is more like a long arm where it actually moves along to do the quilting,” Marcus-Nolan said. “We have them by size: small, medium,large. We have art quilts, which are original patterns and people add a whole lot of different dimensions – buttons, ribbons, painted fabrics.”
“They’ll take a picture of something and then turn it into a quilt,” Harper added. “This peacock (quilt on display at the show) is a perfect example of that. It was a picture that (the quilter) saw and she just said ‘I’m going to make it into a quilt.’”
This year also features the largest number of guild members who participated in creating a challenge quilt for the show. The 21 entries had to include a Dresden plate in their design, but each took a unique spin on the challenge to come up with a creative quilt to display.
Along with the more traditional quilting methods, the show also has a brand new apparel and accessories category to showcase quilted wearables.
Ribbons will be award by popular vote and for the first time, those who visit the quilt show will be able to name their top two favorite quilts in each category for the popular vote.
Getting to showcase their members’ talents and the countless hours that went in to making these quilts as the Coast Guard Festival kicks into full gear is a point of pride for the two co-chairs.
“We’re excited. We always are,” Laura said. “This is what we wait for all year long. A lot of these quilts we’ve never seen before even, so when things get hung up, it’s exciting to be a part of it.”
“We’re just very proud to be, basically, the opening act for the Coast Guard Festival because it’s a huge event for Grand Haven and brings wonderful people into our town,” Susan added. “The quilt show … is the best and biggest, and that’s been our goal, Laura and I’s, since we started co-chairing.”
Melanie had her Young Fivers make Helicopter Quilts this year
New this year were Raffle Baskets
We had 17 baskets with everything from soap, quilts, wine, chocolate, tea and lots of sewing items. Tickets were $1.00 each and you placed them in the box by the basket you hoped to win.
The Scavenger Hunt was a lot of fun this year. Also new, kids were asked to find 6 quite small images from quilts in different areas. They were rewarded with a piece of candy.
And now for all the Quilts in the Show
Clothing and Accesories Category
The following are the Art Quilt Category
21 Quilts entered into the Challenge, the most ever. Very hard to choose.
A couple overall shots
Taking down, lots of helpers, thank you, thank you.
