Quilt Guild Celebrates 25th Birthday
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Another feature of the quilt guild's silver birthday was a quilt show in which member projects were on display.
On Saturday, April 9, the Block Builders Quilt Guild celebrated their 25th birthday with cookies, punch, and a quilt show at the Chinook Senior Citizens' Center. During the celebration-which was attended by quilters from Saco, Hinsdale, Gildford, Malta, Harlem, Havre, and Chinook-the group not only displayed several examples of their work but also heard a presentation by guest speaker, Marilyn Breipohl.
A quilter from Saco, Breipohl did a Trunk Show of the paper piecing technique that has developed into a specialty for her. The colors and patterns employed by Breipohl reveal her unique and creative interpretation of the art of paper piecing.
Trunk Shows like that demonstrated by Breiphol are a common method used by quilt guild members to share their progress and growth in quilting as well as to showcase a body of their work. These are a staple at meetings since magazines and photographs from which ideas derive often don't do justice to the final quilted product. Another constant is a show and tell session during which members ask for feedback on their projects. With the abundant opinions offered, the quilter can accept those that align with her vision and reject those that don't.
1997 was the Guild's Charter year, and the past 25 years have seen the Block Builders' membership fluctuate very little. "We still have three of our original members, and we have maintained between 25-30 members of all ages with varied interests and diverse personalities. The one common interest that binds us is quilting," said Helen Bucklin, one of the Guild's original members.
Having served as an officer of one kind or another "for over half of the life of the guild," Bucklin explained that a lot has transformed in quilting over the years. "From templates to rotary cutters, so many changes have made the process more time efficient, saving steps for the quilter. Even machines have evolved to computers that quilt and embroider."
Bucklin went on to describe the Guild's activities, naming several projects and community events to which members have contributed. These include making pillowcases and lap throws for the residents at the Sweet Memorial Nursing Home, creating Christmas stockings for the Festival of Trees held during Chinook's Parade of Lights, and donating quilts to various fundraisers like the Wildlife Museum or the Volunteer Fire Department.
Furthermore, the group has quilted for the Linus Project, for Gift of Life Housing, and for fire victims. Members also create Comfort Quilts when a guild member has a baby or experiences a medical challenge like cancer. In situations like that, everyone does a block that becomes part of the final product.
This spread of bars, cookies, and punch greeted those who gathered to celebrate the 25th birthday of the Block Builders Quilt Guild.
In other activities, the group has Sew Days and other ritualistic celebrations. These include an annual picnic in the park in July, a Color Crayon Challenge, and the President's Challenge. The group also celebrates National Quilting Day, which lands on the third Saturday of March every year.
With the first challenge, each quilter will blindly draw three crayons from a box. Two of these colors have to be used to produce a table runner, a wall hanging, or a quilt. Completion is typically set for November or December. "We all get comfortable using the colors we favor, and this Challenge breaks us out of our comfort zones," Bucklin explained.
Currently under the leadership of President Sharon Reed, the President's Challenge involves everyone's making 24 different block patterns and using up to five of them in a project of one's choice due at Christmas time.
The group's next meeting is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on May 10 in the Blaine County Library's Meeting Room. At that time, members of the Block Builders Quilt Guild will unveil their projects completed for Gift of Life Housing.
