As far as Marilyn Rollo is concerned, there’s nothing you can’t quilt and being an avid quilter, she enjoys the whole process.
Quilting isn’t just the creation of beautiful bed covers, but rather, its a sewing technique joining two or more layers of material together to make a thicker padded material.
However, that definition doesn’t describe the highly decorative and creative work on display at the Quesnel Art Gallery this month.
The show features work by 23 of the Quesnel Quilters Guild members including table runners, wall hangings, bedcovers and other items, all either hand-quilted, machine-quilted or a combination of both techniques.
The Quesnel Quilters Guild formed in 1984 and currently counts 51 quilters in their membership with 25 – 30 active members.
Rollo and Christa Stankewycz are both members of the guild and contributors to the show.
Stankewycz’ quilt Celtic Cross hangs in the display window with other quilts completed as part of the guild’s black and white challenge.
Each year in the fall, the guild challenges its members to create a quilting project with a specific theme.
Celtic Cross is hand-quilted and hand-appliqued. Stankewycz said it took about 960 hours to complete.
One of the guild’s oldest members Kay Reiter just completed a drum quilt for her grandson. The 87-year-old began the quilt last fall.
Grace Boudreau’s black and white quilt is a raffle prize in her Relay for Life team fundraising effort.
The tradition of quilting has been handed down through the generations, but Rollo said its more and more challenging to interest young people in the art of quilting.
“I really enjoy the craft, especially the end result,” Rollo said.
“Quilts are useful and warm.”
Stankewycz, who Rollo describes as one the guild’s most prolific hand-quilters, said she loves the individuality of quilting.
“Every quilt is different, even if you use the same pattern,” she said.
When asked what their most unusual quilting projects have been Rollo said she’s completed more than 100 pairs of oven mitts and Stankewycz said a banjo cover.
The Quesnel Quilters Guild also volunteer their time to create comfort quilts for babies at the hospital, victims of fires, Amata Transition House and Pregnancy Outreach.
Recently they donated a trunk full of quilts, through City Council and Shiraoi House, to victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Every two years the guild hold their big quilt show at the North Cariboo Community Campus with the next one scheduled for Mothers Day 2012.
The gallery show hangs until the end of May (National Quilt Month) in the Arts and Recreation Centre.