The Pharr International Convention Center was full over the weekend as the Rio Grande Valley Quilt Guild held its annual quilt show on February 2 and 3. According to Lila Hetzler, chairwoman of the show, over 267 items were entered for display and judging.
The categories are judged each day by the people who come to the show. The item categories were bed quilt, hand quilt, wall hanging, miscellaneous, wearable arts and challenge. In the challenge, participants are given five pieces of material. They can add two pieces of material they want. They are asked to make a small quilt from the items.
Each year one of the 23 different quilting bee groups within the Quilt Guild volunteers to make a quilt to be given in a drawing during the show. Each group may work on the quilt as long as two to three years in advance to get it ready.
This year’s quilt was made by the Green Gate Grove Bee in Mission. The pattern was a "broken star" pattern taken from a magazine. This was a needle-turned appliqué sewn by hand with silk thread. According to Annette Sweet, it took 30 people over one year to complete the intricate design.
In addition to seeing the quilts and other items on display, there were vendors specializing in quilting materials with booths and items for purchase. Volunteers were on hand teaching new skills to quilters.
Winners on Saturday in the machine quilted bed quilts were Carol Herdman, "Hearts and Flowers," first; Helen Badgerow, "My Nutty Celtic," second; and Susan Bender, "Heart of Dixie," and Donna Heykoop, "Four-Star Stacked Posies," tied for third.
Winners of hand-quilted bed quilts were Eleanor Merryfield, "Pansy Survivor Quilt," first; Ines Baerr, "Garden of Flowers," second; and Karen Ledvina, "Simple Gifts," and Lynn Johnson, "Affairs of the Heart," tied for third.
In the miscellaneous category which included items such as handbags and table runners, winners were Clarice Rylander, "I Spy," first; Ruth Danford, woven table runners, second; and Barbara Hall, "Cardinal’s Delight," third.
In the baby or juvenile quilt division winners were Mauverdyne Hambleton, "Birthday Cake Baby Quilt," first; Sharon Crosswhite, "May Angels Watch over You," second; and Marlene Watkins, "Sue’s Playtime," third.
Winners of wall quilts machine quilted were Annette Sweet, "Safe Voyage," first; Cathryn Smith, "Crazy After All These Years," second; and Jo Forbis, "Tuscan Wall Hanging."
For wall quilts hand quilted, sinners were Sharon Trumpy, "Pink Tumbling Blocks," first; Ann Bergon, "Prairie Flowers," second; and Beverly Fleming, "Old Heart’s Society," third.
In wearable art winner were Alice Gibson, "Falling Leaves," first; Audrey Days, "Three Lil’ Fishes," second; and Darlene Uecker, "Wedding Lace Jacket," third.
On Sunday, winners of bed quilts hand quilted were Carol Herdman, "Hearts and Flowers," first; Dianne Parry, "Wind Blown Tulips," and Karin Forbis, "Log Cabin Fantasy."
Winners of bed quilts hand quilted were Eleanor Merryfield, "Pansy Survivor Quilt," first; Lynn Johnson, "Affairs of the Heart," second; and Ines Baerr, "Garden of Flowers," third.
In the miscellaneous division, first place went to Clarice Rylander, "I Spy," Ruth Danford, woven table runners; and Mary Kosta, 3-D poinsettias.
In baby and juvenile quilts, winners were Mauverdyne Hambleton, "Birthday Cake," first; Marlene Watkins, "Sue’s Playtime," second; and Sharon Crosswhite, "May Angels Watch over You," third.
In wall quilts machine quilted winners were Jo Forbis, "Tuscan Wall Hanging," first; Cathryn Smith, "Crazy After All These Years," second; and Annette Sweet, "Safe Voyage," third.
In wall hangings hand quilted, winners were Sharon Trumpy, "Pink Tumbling Block," first; Sharon Gulyban, "Cat and Mouse," second; and Ann Bergon, "Prairie Flowers," third.
In wearable art, Darlenem Uecker, wedding lace jacket, first; Sharon Crosswhite, "Crazy Quilt Jacket," second; and Audrey Days, "Three Lil’ Fishes," third.
The quilt voted best of the show was Eleanor Merryfield’s "Pansy Survivor Quilt."