Forty years of wrapping Sisters in quilts

The 40th anniversary of Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show showcased close to 1,400 "timeless tapestries" last Saturday. Colorful quilts lined the streets, hung early in the morning by volunteers, creating a riot of color that spilled across three blocks, soaking guests in a flood of design schemes.

Sisters artist, songwriter and singer Dennis McGregor celebrated the 40th anniversary theme "A Timeless Tapestry" with his charming poster, capturing the essence of Sisters.

"The quilt is at the heart of the image, filling it with light, just as the quilt show is at the heart of our summer festivities in Sisters, filling our streets with their visual creativity and throngs of visitors from all over the world," McGregor said.

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Executive Director Jeanette Pilak and hundreds of volunteers arrived right after sunrise and began the task of hanging the 1,357 quilts that were entered for the 40th SOQS.

The event was presented by Kaufman Fabrics.

"We were just thrilled that so many of the industries sponsored the quilt show to help us celebrate the 40th anniversary," said Pilak. "People came from far and wide; we had folks from all of the states and 13 countries. There were 550 volunteers doing a tremendous job all through the day. We thank all of central Oregon for all their support!"

The hubbub inspired all kinds of creative endeavor.

Nine-year-old Zilya Glidden from Meridian, Idaho, fiddled for spectators on the lawn of the Three Creeks building, and her sister Keziah, 13, fiddled half a block up on Hood Avenue, while mom, Lyn, sat nearby watching.

"They play in the Junior Jammers Club at home," said Lyn. "My mother and I come every year because we are quilters, but this year we decided to bring my girls along so they could have some fun and entertain the people."

Over in the quilting activity area located at Melvin's Fir Street Market, volunteer Martha Sanders was busy helping kids learn the art of sewing.

"They are making pot-holders; it's a new project this year and it's a little more involved but the kids are having fun. And they are also making bean bags, too, and even a 3-year-old did one," Sanders said. "They are learning how to sew, and a lot of these young girls already made quilts and have theirs hanging in the next-generation display area."

Anna Rose Ely, a 10-year-old next-generation quilter, was waiting her turn to make a pot-holder. And while waiting, Ely decided to show The Nugget her quilt that was hanging in the Next Generation Special Exhibit.

"It was because of my great-aunt Karen, she is a quilter from Alabama and she took me to Sisters quilt show last year," Ely said.

It was then that Sisters quilter Nola Belding inspired and helped Ely create the quilt "The Secret Garden" that Ely entered this year.

Linda Greenough and Slyvia Knudtson, volunteer hostesses from Bend, seemed to be guarding the quilts at the Mt. Bachelor display area.

"We're just watching to make sure that people don't get ice cream or anything else on the quilts. We're volunteers just making sure that nothing happens to these quilts," said Knudtson.

Mom and daughter quilters from eastern Oregon enjoy the magic of the SOQS every year.

"We both quilt, but have never entered anything," said daughter Carol. "The quilts here are so beautiful. It's a lot of fun meeting people, and everyone is so nice. All the quilters get together and it's positive energy and you always meet a friend even though you may never see them again."

There was a different kind of volunteer rescue team on hand during SOQS, and it didn't involve Sisters-Camp Sherman paramedics.

"We strictly rescue quilts that are falling," said Malcolm Murphy, volunteer team coordinator. "We've got a great team with golf carts out there, they are cruising around and they all have ladders. And I can get a hold of them and ask them to go to where ever they are needed to rescue any quilts. I have about 30 volunteers helping rescue quilts for the day."

For the 40th anniversary of the SOQS there were 33 special honored quilters who contributed their talents to help create the largest quilt show in the world. And Cathy Moen, who has been quilting since 1998, was on hand in the Western Title courtyard.

"I work at the Stitchin' Post, and every year all the employees have a challenge quilt to make, and this year it was 'Nature's Symphony,' so I decided to make a butterfly quilt. I'm very happy to be one of the honored quilters this year," she told The Nugget.

Four women in lavender T-shirts with different numbers on their backs were having a good time ogling a quilt featuring Marilyn Monroe.

"We're all sisters and all quilters from the Albany area, but there are two more sisters not here right now. We're a family of seven, six girls and one brother. We like to show off the order of when we were born, so we all have a number," said Karen Farrand, sister number six. "And we all love the Sisters Quilt Show."

Freddy Moran, a quilting celebrity from Oinda, California, who wrote the book "Freddy's House: Brilliant Color in Quilts," was in a special exhibit sponsored by Howells Realty Group. Moran had a few of her stunningly bright quilts for guests to explore on the lawn of the Three Creeks building.

"I didn't begin quilting until I was 60, and then I never stopped," Moran said.

For the past 40 years, the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show has provided inspiration to quilters like Moran - and for generations to come through the next 40 years of a truly unique event.