Gorge Quilt Show Celebrates Growing Community of Quilters
“Field of Asters” by Kim Boldt
From Columbia River Gorge Quilters’ Guild:
By Kathleen Roulet
Hood River, OR. September 27, 2023 - The Columbia River Gorge Quilters’ Guild will be hosting their largest quilt show ever with more than 150 quilts on display. The 16th Annual Gorge Quilt Show opens Friday, October 13th, and continues through Saturday, the 14th at the Hood River County Fairgrounds.
“Interest in quilting has been thriving in the Gorge since the pandemic,” said Cathy Jobe, guild president. “Our organization recently reached 150 members, the most in our 16-year history. Our quilt show reflects the enthusiasm, talent and diversity we’re seeing from quilt makers throughout the Gorge.
“We are striving to be a truly inclusive guild, offering classes to our members and the community, for beginners and experts alike; and I think that’s paying off. Many of our new members are new quilters. It’s particularly rewarding to see them entering their first quilts into this Gorge Show. We’ll be displaying more than 150 quilts this year. That’s a record for our show!”
“We’ve packed this show with prizes for our participants,” said Kay Skov, Co-Chair with Kim Vogel. “The quilts are professionally judged across several categories with ribbons and prize money awarded to standouts. Community members select their favorites for special ribbons and the quilt receiving the most votes from show visitors receives the Viewers’ Choice award.”
This year’s show features three groups of quilts made in response to design challenges: a collection created in a color study project and another group inspired by each quilter’s monogram. There’s also an exhibit of art quilts made from upcycled and recycled materials by Beyond the Block. During the show, members will be sharing their quilting tips and tricks in ongoing demonstrations of quilt-making skills and techniques.
The show also includes vendor booths with fabric, patterns, tools, gifts, and the latest advancements in machines for sewing, quilting, and embroidery. Visitors can chat with a local sewing machine repair technician and have their scissors and knives sharpened while they browse.
“Even though our two buildings will be bursting at the seams,” added Vogel, “we’ve worked to keep the show open and comfortable to view the work on display. Plus, we’ve added a small cafe this year to provide our visitors with refreshments.”
The Fairgrounds are located at 3020 Wyeast Road in Hood River. The show is open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily. Admission is $6. Free Parking. For more information, visit gorgequiltersguild.com or email gorgequiltersguild@gmail.com.
