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Last weekend the Tompkins County Quilter Guild took over The FIELD for the 2007 Traditions and Beyond Quilt Show.  Hundreds of quilts and fiber art by local artists were on display, including about 260 entries, 50 or 60 quilts for the small quilts auction, and over 100 postcard-sized quilts.  "It started when they did the big resurgence of patriotic art for the Bicentennial," says organizer Melanie Towner.  "They had their first quilt show in 1976.  Now it's more arts quilts and quilts that are machine quilted.  In the past they were very traditional kinds of patterns and hand quilting.  You don't see many traditional patterns here this year."

Indeed, the exhibit was filled with creative and unusual designs with names like 'Molten Lava,' 'Giant Cell,' 'Rain Forest Spirits,' and 'Tink's Milkyway.'  Original clothing, dolls, soft sculpture added more variety to the mix.

In addition to the exhibit, a different demonstration was conducted every hour by guild members, and people from the community.  A favorite that is repeated from year to year is the quilt turning, where antique quilts are placed one on top of the other on a bed.  The owners fold them up to reveal the next one and tell about their histories one at a time.  People who have had them in their family talk about what their grandparents, great aunts and other relatives did when they made and used the quilts.

Lansing artist Abby Hatfield displayed soft sculptured dolls including one of a dwarf inspired by 'The Magic Crystal,' a book about magical creatures. The dolls were made from wool felt that was glued and sewn on.  Clothing for the figures were both machine and hand sewed.  A dwarf had a hammer in one hand and a diamond in the other.  A gypsy peered into a crystal ball.  A mermaid's green hair flowed through a wreath of seaweed.


This year the guild initiated a new program called 'Charity of Our Choice' to help fund the many charities that various guild members support.  There were over 100 of these for sale.  "As a quilters guild our mission is to do service for others," Towner says.  "But so many people have charities close to their hearts that it was hard to pick one.  Quilters to make a small 4" x 6" quilt and give the money they get from its sale to the charity of the artists' choice.  They're $10 apiece, and there is a big display.  When you see one you like you take it off the board, and on the back it says what charity the artist wants the money to go to.  They buyer writes a check to that charity, and it is sent to the organization in honor of the person who made it."


There were booths and displays by merchants as well as the many quilts on display.  Towner herself was selling felted items the makes.  But she gave credit to Quilter's Corner for their support of the quilt show.  "Not only do they have a booth," she says, "but they donated the cost of all our raffle tickets.  They donated close to 700 books that were available when people paid their entry fee.  They advertise in our newsletter."


By mid-afternoon Saturday around 500 people had come to see the quilts, and the expectation was that attendance would reach 1,000.  The Tompkins County Quilter Guild meets on the second and fourth Monday each month at the Women's COmmunity Building in Ithaca.

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Reporting and pictures by Karen Veaner

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