Camp Sherman hosts Pine Needlers

Visitors to Camp Sherman were treated to a quilt show at the Community Hall.

All the magical elements were in place for the Pine Needlers quilt show in Camp Sherman on Friday, July 13. The setting was at historic Camp Sherman's Community Hall, with marvelous quilts adorning the main hall, dolls and toys of the past in the attic, and a robust group of quilt viewers -- locals and nationwide and foreign visitors.

This was the fourth year for the summer quilt show and the crowd of over 500 quilt aficionados enjoyed every moment of it. The food service prepared by Ann Schreiner and served by Pine Needlers was an additional treat. During lunch the service line stretched far into the hall. Meals were eaten in the hall or taken outside on the grassy area and picnic tables.

Potholders, made by Pine Needlers, were again were a big sale item at the show.

The show featured about 40 large quilts in the main hall from the creativity of Andrea Balosky, Tonye Phillips, Neva McCarty, Jan McKirdie Andrews, Carolyn Cooper and many others.

Bette Ahern exhibited the "Dresden Plate" quilt made by her mother, Iva Sherts, in the 1930s. There were many doll quilts displayed in the attic and throughout the hall.

The youngest quilter was nine-year old Elizabeth Bressler, who created a log cabin quilt when she was eight years old.

"I liked blue, purple and green colors and had fun putting these together in my quilt," said the young artist.

The oldest quilt was Eula Warren's mother's quilt made in 1900.

Every year, someone volunteers to sleep over with the quilts the night before the show as a security measure. This year Jan and Doug Andrews had the duty and Jan admitted she could feel the spirits emanating from some of the quilts. Also, the old hall gives off interesting vibes from the past 50-plus years of history.

Visitors from other states included Billie Cornell from Reno, Nevada and Paul Densley from Leeds, Utah. Foreign visitors included Patricia Drewett from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and Waltrat Kindler Goertzen, Renate Wetler and Lilo Wesely from Vienna, Austria.

Goertzen also has a home in Camp Sherman and invited her two friends for the quilt show. She arranged this with the Austrian-American Council, a group working to promote exchange programs between the two countries. These foreign visitors were to be honored at a Pine Needlers dinner on Tuesday evening, July 17, in Camp Sherman.

Lilo Wesley, from Austria, exhibited the quilt she had made for her daughter's 15th birthday, titled "Marion's Lone Star" quilt. Wesley had to go to London's Liberty store to obtain the needed materials for her quilt creation.

This correspondent's show favorite this year was "Baskets" by Carolyn Cooper (1999-2000). This was a mystery quilt completed by Cooper with brilliant red and blue colors and a yellow boundary.