News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
They came. 10,000 strong. And they came early, even before the 1,000-plus quilts had been completely hung across downtown Sisters. In part because it was 85 degrees by 8:30 a.m., and more to get a first-hand look at one of the premier quilt exhibits in the country.
Pat Bowe was one of four Sisters-area veterans who received Quilts of Valor from Salem Star Valor Quilters at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. The others were Donald Taylor III, Lance Trowbridge, and Michael Preedin. The event is representative of the deep community impact of the annual Quilt Show.
"We drove through on our way to McDonald's for breakfast around 7:15 and when we came back at 8:30 it was like, 'Whoa! How'd that happen?'" said an amazed Cory Archer from Redmond, playing in a golf foursome at Aspen Lakes. He and his mates were astounded at the instant transformation.
Indeed, with military-like precision a hundred volunteers gathered the quilts, ladders, clothes pins, and mapping notebooks from an impromptu warehouse on West Sisters Park Drive and fanned out across downtown in an orchestrated fashion and in a little over an hour Sisters turned into a wonderland of quilted majesty.
The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show wrapped downtown in color on Saturday.
The Nugget was part of one hanging team and by 8 a.m., their progress slowed as passerbys now in the hundreds would stop to ask questions, directions, or in some cases lend an eye in gauging if a quilt was hung straight or correctly centered.
Yes, parking was a challenge. Yes, it was hot. No, that did not interrupt anybody's apparent enjoyment. To the contrary it was if the full sun shone a brighter light on the massive collection.
"We were ready. Plenty of water and sunscreen. Big hats," said Myra Winkler from Sutherland, Oregon. "It's July. It's gonna be hot," her pal Lurene Davison added. "But it'd have to be 120 before we'd have reconsidered," Davison continued as they checked notes on their official program.
Keeping the sun off with colorful umbrellas helped quilters keep their cool on a high-90s day.
The mood was festive well into the afternoon. The pace slowed as the afternoon wore on and quilts on the shadier side of the streets drew more onlookers. Quilts in landscaped settings like Barclay Park or Village Green were small oases of respite.
As hundreds of locals scurried to the coast to avoid the predictable congestion and hustle and bustle, the thousands of visitors dropped not only praise but large sums of cash in local shops and eateries. Stores were thronged by shoppers and often strained the checkout line.
No one cluster of quilts appeared to draw more enthusiasm than the traveling exhibit - Cherrywood Challenge. Due to its high dollar value, it was required to be kept indoors. The Cherrywood Challenge was displayed at the Community Hall at the fire station; attendees streamed in and out all day, snaking their way through the famed exhibit themed "Monarch" for 2024.
A few blocks away, the annual Quilts of Valor were on display. The national organization's mission is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.
Quilters exchange techniques and ideas.
Sisters Mayor Michael Preedin was among four recipients of the 2024 quilts. None of the four knew ahead of time of the award. Preedin who served in the U.S. Air Force said, "It was an honor to be recognized for my military service with such a beautiful quilt.
"I don't know the people whose hands created it, but I thank and appreciate the Salem Star Valor Quilters for such a gift. It is already in a prominent place in my home, my side of the couch where I will use it! It's an instant family heirloom."
In partnership with Rotary Club of Sisters and Sisters Business Association, Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS) placed some 1,400 "passports" into the registration bags of those attending the week-long Quilter's Affair (Click here to see related story.).
Passport holders could travel with their passport to one of 38 participating merchants who provided special offers or discounts. Those with an adequate number of stamps in their passports were entered into a drawing for a quilt provided by SOQS. The winner was Amanda Vedder from Springfield, Oregon.
International tour operators brought several buses of quilt enthusiasts to town. The trips, some costing $2,695 per person, indicate the prominence of the Sisters show, now in its 49th year.
Dawn Boyd, SOQS executive director, was unbridled in her appreciation for the over 300 volunteers needed to pull off such a complex event. She was also moved by the many dozens of examples of human kindness that the Show creates.
One story was particularly touching: "A gentleman's wife had always dreamt of having a quilt in our show. She passed a few weeks ago, and he contacted me to see if he could enter her quilt. Not only were we able to share her quilt, but he also traveled here from the Bay Area and met up with family to honor and celebrate his wife's quilting legacy."
The quilts came down at the appointed hour while a few hundred diehard onlookers continued to gaze upon the artistry. "I can't stop looking in amazement," said Letitia Palmerton of Sussex, England. "I will cherish these moments for a lifetime."
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