Quilters show all how dazzling their product can be

Mac Olsen
South Peace News

Lina Kryzanowski enjoys working with patterns and cotton materials for quilts, and her Challenge Quilt is but one example of this. Kryzanowski has been a member of the High Prairie Quilt Guild for three years. She had five of her quilts - including her Challenge Quilt - on display at the guild’s quilt show, which was held at St. Andrew’s School on Oct. 20-21. She was given a pattern for her Challenge Quilt and picked her own material to create it. She completed the quilt at a retreat with other guild members last spring. The other eight Challenge Quilts on display at the show were made with the same pattern, but each person used different materials. Kryzanowski likes making bed quilts. She prefers to use cotton material because it’s easier to work with and there are a variety of colours. She began by taking a course in quilting and got hooked on it. “It’s a fun (activity). It’s nice to see how everybody’s turns out afterwards with the same pattern,” says Kryzanowski. She notes that approximately 300 people attended the High Prairie Quilt Guild’s 12th annual quilt show. In all, 109 quilts were on display, which is slightly fewer than last year. Two quilts were raffled. Joyce Arnold, of McLennan, won the first prize, a queen size quilt. Blythe Collett won a lap-size quilt for second prize. Guild members made both quilts. The guild also held its Prize Viewer’s Choice contest for large and small quilts, and the results are as follows: Large Quilt: 1. Grace Kalden- hoven for “Sunbonnet Sue” ($100) 2. Melanie McLaugh lin for “Denim Duvet Cover” ($75) 3. Marla Willier for “Trip Around the World” (Ribbon and Charm Pack) Small Quilt: 1. Carole Michaud for “The Farm” ($100) 2. Peggy Popielarz for “Moonlight Shimmer ($75) 3. Peggy Popielarz for “Sam’s Quilt” (Ribbon and Charm Pack) In addition, the Guild held a 10 for five draw, or 10 tickets for $5, as part of the quilt show. There was also a silent auction and new this year was the “buy it now” price. “If somebody really wants an item, they don’t have to wait. We have a ‘buy it now’ price, and they can buy it right then. It’s been very successful,” says Jane Kuchuk, the cultural coordinator for the show. Many of those who participated in the show are guild members, but there were a few people from outside the organization, too. Grace Kalden- hoven, a guild member, had several quilts on display at the show, including “Crystal Manor Christmas.” Kaldenhoven says that Carole Michaud found the pattern for this quilt for her in 2002 and she made it over that Christmas season. This quilt has been part of the Christmas décor in Crystal Manor, the condominium where she lives, ever since. The “Sunbonnets for Pauline” quilt mirrors another quilt that she made, “Sunbonnets for Cheryl.” She made these quilts as gifts for her granddaughters from a pattern by Eleanor Burns. She used various stitching methods, including machine and hand embroidered. She started working on these quilts in the fall of 1999, and finished them in March 2007. Marla Willier has been president of the High Prairie Quilt Guild for the last three years and has been involved with the organization for five years. She says planning for the Quilt Show begins in April. A committee is formed, which meets once a month. The committee keeps a floor plan and everyone knows what his or her roles will be. Willier has been sewing for many years and owned a fabrics store at one time. She did custom sewing, but found quilts a lot easier to make. She also says that members of the guild are at different levels of skill development with quilt making, from beginners to advanced. Willier adds that the guild creates free lap-sized comfort quilts for people being treated for things like cancer and dialysis. Each quilt comes with a tote bag. The guild meets on the third Friday of every month at the United Church hall, beginning at 7 p.m. New members are always welcome. Contact Marla Willier at 523-3092 for more information, or to join the High Prairie Quilt Guild at their meetings.

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