Yuba-Sutter Valley Quilt Guild chairperson Colleen Pelfrey referenced making a quilt to “a warm hug I can wrap up in” during day one of the 40th annual Valley Quilt Guild Show on Saturday inside the Main Exhibit Hall at Yuba City’s Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds.
“If you have people in your life that you like to make a warm hug for, (then) quilting is the way to do it,” Pelfrey said.
Pelfrey and many members of the Guild joined the public for the 40th weekend-long quilt show, which acts as the annual fundraiser for both the Guild and all the community service it provides throughout the year, Pelfrey said.
The weekend inside the fairgrounds was for anyone looking to check out interesting quilts and for information on how to get into the quilt-making business.
Pelfrey said the latest show was themed “Land That I Love,” where 32 quilts were donated to local veterans during a special ceremony on Sunday afternoon.
Many of the quilts on display, Pelfrey said, were decorated in red, white and blue colors to go with the theme.
Pelfrey said for those looking to make a quilt for the first time, all it takes is a sewing machine, a cutting tool, an iron and ironing board. Most simple quilts can be done in a day, Pelfrey said.
There were some day quilt patterns being constructed during the show, at the hands of a pair of sewing enthusiasts, who sewed together patterns designed from members of the public. Lucy Prall and Carolyn McCray manned the community service booth all weekend sewing together patterns for people.
Many people, including Pelfrey, use quilting both as a creative outlet to share personalized gifts with family members and as a hobby.
Kathy O’Donnell has been quilting for three decades, and uses it as a fun way to enjoy her Plumas Lake yard at home.
“I enjoy it thoroughly,” O’Donnell said. “I sit outside in my yard and enjoy the flowers.”
O’Donnell won the Best of Show award over the weekend, which is the top prize awarded by an independent committee.
O’Donnell used an appliqué method, which equates to using a needle and thread to help puff up a design. O’Donnell’s design was a variety of flowers, which were stitched together by Precision Quiltworks to create the No. 1 award winner for the 40th Quilt Show.
O’Donnell says she has come a long way in her quilt-making in 30 years.
“Some of my first work went into the trash,” O’Donnell said.
O’Donnell hopes to be able to quilt and even return to the quilt show for many years to come.
“As long as I can see and my hands still work, I am good to go,” O’Donnell said.
The proceeds from the Valley Quilt Guild show go toward funding the club throughout the year and helping donate quilts to cancer and dialysis patients, children in foster care and fire survivors, among others, Pelfrey said.
