The Voorheesville Village Quilters are busy getting ready for their sixth bi-annual quilt show, to be held on Saturday, July 12, and Sunday, July 13. For a modest $5 donation, viewers can feast their eyes on the quilts and other handwork made by the group’s dedicated quilters and take a chance on two beautiful and colorful quilts made by the group members.
The upcoming show, “Joined by Threads,” will feature bed-size quilts to wall hangings to handbags. Members will demonstrate how to sew simple items, and several vendors will be available. A raffle quilt will be on display, and raffle tickets may be purchased at the show. The winning ticket will be drawn at the close of the show on Sunday. Vendors have supplied prizes, which will also be raffled off. All are invited to attend, see the pieces on display, learn new skills, shop to their hearts’ content and vote for the piece to be named Viewers’ Choice.
In March, the group participated in a national touring quilt show called “Quilted In Honor,” which was held at the Joyful Quilter in Glenville. We helped to set up and take down the show, acted as volunteers during the show, made a patriotic-themed raffle quilt and set up a military memorabilia display. The raffle quilt and military memorabilia will be on display at our upcoming quilt show, as well as a Quilts For Veterans display.
Founded in the 1980’s by Linda O’Connor as an outreach from the classes she taught in the Adult Education Program at Voorheesville High School, the Voorheesville Village Quilters meet at the Voorheesville Public Library on the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. Any fabric art enthusiast is welcome to join. Members meet to exchange ideas, share information on shows and trips, listen to invited speakers, demonstrate techniques and show their finished work. The 30 fabric artists’ talents include quilting, rug hooking, weaving, dying, embroidering, historical sewing and any other form of fabric art imaginable.
Over the years, the group has donated quilts to Guardian House, which is a shelter for homeless women veterans in Ballston Spa. The group made quilts for the beds at the house where veterans can stay to obtain assistance while getting back on their feet. The quilts are gifts to the veterans when they leave the house.
The group has also collected donations for Mary’s Corner such as diapers, formula, baby books, toiletries and other baby-related items used to support young disadvantaged families. The group made lap quilts for Albany Medical Center, which are placed at the foot of the bed of a terminally ill or severely injured patient. The quilt serves as a signal to the nurses and other hospital staff as a reminder of the patient’s condition so that they could spend a little extra time with the family. The lap quilt is then the family’s to keep. Members donated both items for a quilt-themed basket and handmade quilted items for a Rett Syndrome fundraiser at St. Matthew’s Church held in honor of a community member. Contact Julie-Ann Fortran at 765-2837 or [email protected] for questions regarding the group.
The show will be held at St. Matthew’s Parish Center at 29 Mountainview Street in Voorheesville. On Saturday, July 12, the show will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. On Sunday, July 13, the show will run from noon until 4 p.m.
This year, a portion of the show’s proceeds will be donated to three veteran-related charities. These include Fisher House, which supports the VA Hospital; Culinary Command, which teaches veterans the culinary arts for jobs in the food industry; and Woofs for Veterans, which trains and provides dogs for veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Tickets will be sold for the patriotic-themed quilt to be raffled off on Veteran’s Day.
Any questions about the show can be directed to Judy and Lew Schedlbauer at 765-2608 or to [email protected].
– Susan Brunner