The time-honoured tradition of quilting will be on display at Dwight Hall as the Timberlane Quilters’ Guild hosts its biennial Celebration of Quilts on Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 17.
“It’s partly an art show to show off the talents of the members and it’s also our major fundraiser,” said guild member Maureen Tierney. The group creates beautiful, intricate quilts and donates them to community organizations such as the oncology unit at Powell River General Hospital, Powell River Child, Youth and Family Services and Powell River and Region Transition House Society’s Grace House.
“We usually do over 100 quilts each year,” added Tierney. “We also do birthday calendars and wall hangings for people’s doors and so people can identify their rooms at Willingdon Creek and ECU, and for emergency situations like house fires.”
The guild receives a grant from Powell River Council for Arts and Culture that covers the cost of renting Dwight Hall and allows it to use the proceeds from ticket sales for community work. This includes providing a scholarship to a high school student who is pursuing art and giving funds to other youth groups such as the Powell River 4-H Club, whom the guild recently purchased sewing machines for.
The guild has been operating for more than 30 years and currently has 70 members who meet weekly for stitch and sew sessions as well as monthly workshops and work bees.
The event also attracts avid fibre artists and spectators from other communities. The guild is offering shuttle service to and from the event at Westview Ferry Terminal.
The celebration takes months of planning and stitching, according to Tierney.
“It’s a big event. We start working on it at least a year ahead of time,” she said. “We display over 200 quilts that people have made and they’re all recently made.”
Timberlane Quilters’ GuildCelebration of Quilts takes place at Dwight Hall on Saturday, March 16, from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday, March 17, from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is $6 and children 12 and under are free.
In addition to the quilts on display, there will be a tea room, sales boutique, educational displays, raffle and door prizes. For more information, go to timberlanequiltersguild.ca.
