40th Anniversary Quilt Show set Sept. 8 and 9

Just in time for the much-anticipated cooler weather of the fall, the Red River Quilters are rolling out the red quilted carpet to raise money for their charitable work and to educate the public about the ancient and venerable creation of fabric art.

The ladies will have you covered during their 40th Anniversary Quilt Show on Sept. 8 and 9 at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds Agriculture Building.

Since 1983, the group has been promoting the appreciation and preservation of quilts by sharing their love of the textile arts with the public. They also encourage members in charitable projects that help foster a love and appreciation for our mother’s and grandmother’s handmade art throughout the decades.

This year’s event will feature over 200 examples of this hand-crafted art and a chance to buy tickets for a drawing of a hand-stitched and hand-quilted 74” by 92” quilt called “Friendship Bouquet.” Proceeds from the drawing will go to provide for the community service projects of the quilters’ guild.

Judges this year will be Sandy Gard of Edmond, Okla., and Shawn Sickle of Richardson, Texas.

The Guild Booth will feature handmade items for sale, and there will be a silent auction of some lovely pieces, as well as a store to shop for quilt-related items.

According to the press release for the event, “We enjoy using our craft to fill many needs in our community. We make hundreds of small quilts yearly that we deliver to local hospitals to distribute to young patients. We make hundreds of ‘comfort caps’ similar to a scrubs cap for cancer patients who have lost their hair. We provide very basic covers to the Volunteer Network to have as a first cover when they go to disasters.”

During the pandemic, the guild also “made thousands of washable cloth masks for anyone who needed one, including first responders and medical facilities.”

Show hours will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9. Admission is $10 for ages 11 to adult, $5 for ages 5 to 10, and you can get in free if you can pass for younger than 5 years of age.

This year’s featured quilter is Peggy Bishop, who described her introduction to quilting art on the Guild’s website.

“In 2011, I attended the RRQ Show knowing absolutely nothing about making a quilt. The guild member started my quilting education as she answered so, so many questions about the quilts. I accepted her invitation to attend the next guild meeting, joined, attended a class and started making quilts. My enthusiasm increased with the completion of each quilt. There have been many challenges but not one boring moment.

“My challenge at age 86 is to use as many patterns, ideas, fabric and methods as possible to create quilts and motivate others to start and enjoy their incredible quilt making journey.”

For more information, check out Red River Quilters on Facebook or visit their website at www.redriverquilters.com.