Quilt Show draws big crowds under blue skies

For the thousands of visitors in Sisters for the 23rd Sisters Quilt Show, a cloudless sky and soft summer breeze were an added bonus to the harmony of color and design displayed in approximately 800 quilts along Sisters' streets.

A surprising number of those visitors, apprised of the quilt show through articles or advertisements in magazines or on the Internet, had scheduled vacations around the quilt show or traveled to Sisters from Canada, Norway, Holland and states as distant as the east coast.

Ellie Ryker, a retired nurse from Roseville, California, who has made quilts for all of her granddaughters, said the quilt show was the best in the nation.

Sara Eutsey, Tucson, Arizona, learned of the show through the Internet, liked the outdoor access to the quilts and thought the trip was certainly worthwhile.

Meir and Zviz Klein, originally from Israel and five-year residents of Boca Raton, Florida, learned of the show through "Quilters Home & Gardens," part of the cable TV show, "Quilts." They scheduled their vacation around the quilt show, and thought the quilts and color patterns were wonderful.

Genie Schiller, Albany, Oregon, designer of Paisley Pattern appliqués for quilters, had been to the show often since it started, and had entered her own original quilt, entitled Fuscia Fairy.

First-time visitors, Christine Nofziger, Alberta. Canada, entered a quilt and liked the outdoor arrangement; other quilters indicated that they would be back next year.

Obvious as were smiles and good humor during the show, patience and courtesy were noticeable among slow-moving crowds on sidewalks and in stores; pedestrians crossed streets only at crosswalks, cars moving carefully down Cascade and Hood readily stopped at intersections for cars turning left across traffic.

As is true of all well- organized events, the least obvious aspect of the quilt show was the exceptional effort of its planners, supporters, and volunteer assistants, including those who sorted and arranged space for multi-sized quilts.

Members of the Sisters fire department used their truck to place a number of the quilts.

Getting almost 800 quilts in place between 6:30 and 9:30 a.m. on the morning of the show began was a feat that required tremendous precision and the cooperative effort of all those involved.