www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday April 30, 2008 - 21 Artscene Oakville Beaver · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2008 Legacy of Stitches II sewn up and ready to go By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Members of the Oakville Quilters' Guild all have UFOs hanging around. None of their "UnFinished Objects" however will be on display or for sale at the guild's upcoming three-day Legacy of Stitches 11 Quilt Show. Visitors will see beautiful, stunning works -- just in time to pick up a gift for Mother's Day. As penned by Debbie Salter Goodwin in Quilted With Love, "Quilts are story tellers -- remnants of life pieced together in beautiful patterns. They help us picture relatives we have never met. They teach us about patience and friendship, tradition and heritage while they cover our beds, our walls and the people we love. As a whole, they help define us by holding in trust our most cherished memories." The three-day show, complete with a light lunch café and tombola auction, will take place Friday, May 2 through Sunday, May 4 at the Operating Engineers Conference Centre located at 2245 Speers Rd. (between Third Line and Bronte Road). There will be approximately 200 quilts and quilt-related pieces, on display. In addition, visitors to the show, can also stop by a vendors' mall, member's boutique, take part in daily door prizes, watch demonstrations and grab a bite in the café where catered luncheon fare will be available. Admission costs $6. The show will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Months of hard work -- beyond the quilting -- have gone into the show that is held only once every four years and marks only the second for the local guild, which was founded in 1994 as a spin off of the Halton Quilters' Guild. The guild's first show was held at the River Oaks Recreation Centre for its 10th anniversary, and now, its more than 100 members will have their very best at this weekend's show. "I've been working on this for 18 months," said Diane Wolder, show organizer and guild member who is still trying to put the finishing touches on the quilt on which she was also working. "There's nothing like a deadline," quipped Wolder, who noted KAREN NEWMAN / OAKVILLE BEAVER BOUND FOR WEEKEND SHOW: From left, Oakville Quilters' Guild members Rosemary Clouse, June Cregan and Diane Wolder, are ready for this weekend's Legacy of Stitches II quilt show and sale to be held at the Operating Engineers Conference Centre from May 2 through May 4. the venue was rented two years ago for this weekend's show. When not organizing a show, the guild members meet monthly at Central Baptist Church. They host hosts speakers, guild business, a social session and a bring and brag. "It's a good opportunity to recharge people," said Wolder, noting the guild also maintains an extensive library for its members. An outreach sub-group meets apart from the regular monthly meeting, this time at St. Paul's United Church, where members assemble quilt kits, which are passed one to another to work on at home and the finished products are donated to local charities -- in the order of 40 to 50 per year. "In that way, everybody gets involved," said Wolder, noting guild member June Cregan, a 52-year resident and a familiar face who volunteers at the Fareshare Food Bank, was a driving force behind the guild's outreach program. "It's (outreach) a real feather in our cap," said Rosemary Clouse. Throwing together scraps of material to create something worth giving to someone is not tough for quilters. "All sewers and quilters have scraps. When you make a scrap quilt, you always end up with more scraps than when you started. You can't get rid of them," laughed Clouse. The guild is a haven for quilters of all levels and offers workshops so people who are interested, can learn more, or experts can hone their skills. While it may be all about stitching materials together, it's the fellowship that keeps the guild tight knit, said Wolder. From a 25 year old Ph.D. student, to those with young babies, to an octogenarian, guild members come in all ages. "Quilting is big, there are guilds all over the place now," said Wolder. From humble North American beginnings where farmers' wives gathered to literally make ends meet, today quilters have crafted their form into an art with some preferring the old-fashioned hand quilting methods, others turning to high- tech sewing machines and more. Long-arm quilters are for those who choose to buy a quilting machine rather than a car, jokes Wolder, noting the eight-foot, very expensive machines are both pricey and sizable enough to park in a garage. They are also computerized, as are cars these days. Whether it has been women venturing outside of the home and forming quilting guilds, or the advent of new fabrics, new techniques and new machinery, quilting guilds have blanketed North America and abroad. It's a long way from its beginnings. Quilting has been around for centuries and though its origins have never been confirmed, it is believed to have come from China and Egypt, with the earliest recorded quilted garment found on a carved ivory figure of a pharaoh from the first dynasty dated to be from 3400 BC. At this weekend's show, patrons can expect to find lots of space and convenient parking. "It's going to be really nice for patrons," said Wolder. They will also find the Challenge Exhibit, the Northcott President's Challenge. This saw 34 entries, all from members of the guild, compete with members Val Garnett, Andree Garvagh and Joanne Merksamer coming out on top. Guild president Susan Semeczko judged the contest that was sponsored by the Northcott Silk Inc. fabric company of Woodbridge, Ontario and established as a fundraiser for the quilt show. The challenge saw entrants produce a piece using only three fabrics, and all using just those three fabrics. Wolder said the diversity and creativity of what was produced was amazing. "I've been scouting around at other quilt shows and I know our show is going to be a good show," said Wolder, adding, "Everybody's worked so hard. Whenever I've asked someone to do something, nobody has given me second best and that's really nice," said Wolder. Both Clouse and Wolder are founding members of the Oakville guild. Clouse began quilting more than 30 years ago by taking a class through Sheridan College. A dietician by trade, Wolder who is retired began quilting in 1980. "I just fell in love with it," she said.