Popularity of Quilting Still Strong

quilting has endured to the present as a tradition-rich craft, hobby and art form.

The quilt that will be raffled during the HCE Quilt Show.

Quilting – the technique of sewing two or more layers of material together to make a thicker, padded material – is thousands of years old. In America, quilting gained in popularity during the Colonial Era, and has endured to the present as a tradition-rich craft, hobby and art form.

The 27th annual Creek County Home and Community Education (HCE) Quilt Show is November 5 and 6 at the Creek County Fairgrounds, 17806 W. Hwy. 66 in Kellyville. This event is designed to showcase the art of quilting, and to give you an opportunity to display your own work.

Rosalie Peterson is in her second year as chair of the HCE Quilt Show, and she is joined by co-chair Debby Presley. “The Creek County Quilt Show is open to everyone – you don’t have to live in Creek County,” says Peterson. “And quilting really is for everyone. It’s undergoing a resurgence right now in the United States. Men as well as women enter our show, and last year we had competitors from age 10 to 89.”

Last year the quilt show received over 200 entries, and about 150 were on display. There will be nearly 200 quilts on display this year, and many of them will be for sale. “If you’re a quilter, we’d love to have you enter your work, whether you want to sell it or not,” says Peterson. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or if you’ve been doing it for 60 years.” Quilts of all sizes and categories will be accepted. If you’ve got a treasured family heirloom, there’s an antique quilt category as well. There is no cost to enter your quilt. Entries will be received Wednesday, November 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(L to R): Rosalie Peterson, HCE Quilt Show co-chair; Merla Gilbert, with her 2009 “Grand Champion” quilt; Debby Presley, Quilt Show co-chair; and Victoria Teale, age 11, with her 2009 entry quilt.

A special quilt will be raffled during the quilt show. You can buy tickets for $1 each or $5 for six from any HCE member or at the door. The winner of the quilt will be announced at the end of the show on Saturday. You do not have to be present to win. Proceeds from the raffle and from the quilt show will go to scholarships. “This year we have two scholarships,” says Peterson. “One is for an adult returning to school, and one is for a high school senior who’s going to college.”

There will be plenty of door prizes given away throughout the event, most of which are made by hand by Creek County Home and Community Education members. The Creek County Quilt Show will feature a variety of vendors, and will also have a tea room with sandwiches and cookies.

“The Creek County Quilt Show has been a popular event, and it’s very well attended,” says Peterson. “We had over 500 people over two days last year. And we have plenty of parking for the show.”

The Creek County Quilt Show is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, November 5 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 6 at the Creek County Fairgrounds. Admission is $3. For a quilt entry form, visit www.oces.okstate.edu/creek and click on “Family and Consumer Sciences.”

For more information or entry forms, please call Debby Presley at (918) 224-3020 or Rosalie Peterson at (918) 346-9393.

For more information, contact

Creek County Home and Community ­Education Quilt Show

(918) 224-3020 or

(918) 346-9393
www.oces.okstate.edu/creek