To the quilters, it’s more an event than a show.
And with 300 amazing quilts on display, you can understand why.
There are quilts done by rogue quilters, artists really, who create their own designs. Then there are quilts done expertly by those who follow a pattern. Finally, there are quilts done by some whose quilting style combines both techniques.
The Camano Island Quilters group is gathering for its biannual quilt event starting today and continuing Saturday at Stanwood High School. The event is a major source of income for the group, which uses the proceeds to help pay for quilt classes and to hire teachers. The group has 150 active members.
The theme this year is “Garden Party,” so there will be lots of flowers along with hourly demonstrations, an 18-merchant mall where visitors can buy fabric and other equipment and, of course, lots and lots of quilts.
Special presentations of quilts include “Comfort Quilts,” those made by the members of the Camano Island Quilters for every child that goes through Providence Hospital. This year, there also will be a special presentation of “American Hero Quilts,” made for the soldiers wounded in Iraq and coming home from war.
The quilting event also features one of the club’s members. This year, that honor goes to Lois Nay of Lake Stevens. On display will be about 20 of the 200 quilts Nay has created since she began quilting in 1983.
“She uses such strong, bright colors and her quilts really pop out,” said Karen Vander Stoep, co-chairwoman of this year’s event. “It’s an art, and she really knows how to execute colors.”
It might be funny for Nay to hear that because the last thing she considers herself is an artist.
“I don’t have a designing bone in my body,” Nay said. “I don’t draw, I wish I could. I don’t consider myself an artist. I’m too old and down-to-earth for that.”
Now 82, Nay started quilting when she lived in Florida and got bored waiting for her house to be built. She had never taken art classes but she did have a sewing machine.
She said she doesn’t know how she comes up with some of her color schemes except to say she tends to like brighter colors.
“And the fabric is better now, it doesn’t fade, doesn’t bleed and we’ve got lovely new equipment now,” Nay said.
One of her quilts displays an array of leaves that look so delicate they could almost pass for real. Nay said she won a blue ribbon for that one.
Nay said she was kind of surprised by having completed 200 quilts. She’s given so many away and doesn’t really keep track of them like some quilters do.
“I don’t keep a record of my quilts. I’ve stopped taking pictures,” Nay said. “A friend of mine has a catalog of hers, and she keeps a little diary and pieces of material from the quilts. I don’t care that much. It’s just a hobby. What someone thinks of it 200 years from now, I don’t care.”
Space is at a premium at Nay’s retirement community home in Lake Stevens. Her favorite part of her home is the pantry off the kitchen, where she stores fabric and other sewing necessities instead of food.
Nay said it was flattering to be the featured quilter this year.
“I’m sure it will be the last time,” she said. “They’ve got all sorts of people to ask.”
Arts writer Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424 or goffredo@heraldnet.com.
A variety of Lois Nay’s colorful quilts will be on display, as well as quilts from other Camano Island Quilters members.
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