Marble Falls Quilt Club piecing together Stars of Texas 2014 Quilt Show
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
MARBLE FALLS — During the Marble Falls Quilt Club’s meeting in January, the planned 15-minute intermission easily expanded to 20, maybe a bit longer. Outreach chairwoman Debbie Gallagher smiled and laughed.
“Well, you have to remember it’s been awhile since we’ve gotten together, so there’s a lot of visiting everybody needs to do,” she said. The break came after the club’s regular business meeting. But once the intermission ended and the 60 or so attendees returned to their seats, the real excitement began.
After a few instructions, a line of women (and a husband or two) formed to one side of the First United Methodist Church’s meeting room. Each held either a bag or a folded quilt. One by one, the members stepped to the microphone, unravelled their quilts and told the others in the room about the work of art and its design, story and meaning. There’s one thing about quilts: Even the simplest one or the one destined for sale has a story behind it.
“It’s like a puzzle,” club member Joy Frear said. “Every one of them is different. You start with an idea or design and then piece it all together.”
This year is an Olympic year of sorts for the Marble Falls Quilt Club. The club is hosting the Stars of Texas 2014 Quilt Show on Feb. 14-15 at Lakeside Pavilion. The event only comes around every two years, a bit more often than the actual Olympics but probably just as anticipated for the members and quilting aficionados.
“It takes a lot of work to organize this,” said June Saint, a co-chair of the show along with Frear. “But the main reason it’s only every other year is it takes time to make quilts. And so, after the last show, it’s nice to have two years so some of us can have time to get more quilts made.”
Frear and Saint anticipate about 100 quilts of all sizes, designs and styles taking over Lakeside Pavilion, 307 Buena Vista Drive, during the two-day show. And it will be the first public display for some of the quilts as some of the ones shown off during the meeting aren’t quite complete.
During the meeting, Saint unveiled a quilt she’ll display during the show that is being made for her niece.
“It’s a wedding quilt,” Saint said. Her niece and her fiancé even helped pick out the colors. Saint said since her niece lives out east, she hasn’t had the chance to see it. But when there’s a chance the younger woman might get a peek at it, she covers her eyes.
That way, Saint explained, when her niece and her fiancé see it for the first time, it will be all the more special. Saint regularly creates quilts for relatives’ special occasions, such as weddings and births.
The reasons behind creating quilts are as varied as the members. Some, like Saint, make them as gifts. (Saint added she doesn’t want the quilts put on display, but used.) Others love the challenge, while some do it for the creative expression. In fact, each quilter probably taps numerous reasons for their hobby and passion.
“Another reason is we enjoy getting together with other women and having a good time,” Frear said.
Quilting, they explain, covers a myriad of creations from full-sized quilts (the ones most people envision) to small pieces hung on the wall or just as a decoration.
“And you’ll see them all at the show,” Frear said. “Everything from queen-sized to wall hangers to pot holders.”
While the show is a major fundraiser for the organization, it’s only one aspect of the club. During the monthly meetings, the quilters share ideas and techniques. They also host experts who help further quilters’ education. The workshops are also open to non-members.
And members often get together in smaller groups, called “bees,” between meetings. And the thing that keeps them stitched together: love for quilting and their friendship.
The club meets the third Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 1101 Bluebonnet Drive. Go to www.marblefallsquiltclub.blogspot.com or email marblefallsquiltclub@gmail.com for more information.
daniel@thepicayune.com