Cabin Fever Quilters show work during annual show

Hundreds of brightly colored quilts decorated the halls and rooms of Superior High School during the Mineral County Fair on Aug. 3 and 4. This was the Cabin Fever Quilters 18th Annual Show, with the theme “Outdoors Montana.”

There were 13 categories with a winner in each, including Best of Show, which went to Mary Eldridge. She was also this year’s “Featured Quilter.” That gave her the opportunity to display several pieces, including wall hangings, runners and quilts of all sizes. Mary ran a quilting store for 16 years and continues to offer her quilting skills, including work on her longarm machine. She also donates her time to create quilts for the guild’s local veterans program.

It was a bed quilt that won “Best of Show,” chosen by the public. She made the quilt for her husband, Albert, a Navy veteran. He was also at the show and said it was a beautiful quilt and he appreciates her talents as a quilter. In her description she wrote that his favorite color was blue, and he loves wildlife, which inspired its design. In the center of the quilt is a large bull elk in a blue haze, bordered by black and brown.

“It was so special to win viewers’ choice,” she said. “I was so happy to win one of those beautiful ribbons.”

THE CABIN FEVER Quilt Guild is a non-profit group made up of quilters from all over Mineral County. They meet monthly to quilt, and plan events like all-day workshops; retreats; and other social gatherings like special dinners.

The group also holds a Raffle Quilt each year. The quilt is a joint effort among the members, and proceeds raised goes to support a local charity or organization. Between $1,500 and $2,000 is generally raised, and this year funds went to the county libraries. The Mineral County Library is located in Superior with branches in St. Regis and Alberton.

Susan Charles and Karlene Zunino were the Quilt Show co-chairs, and Charles explained that each year there is a group challenge. This year’s was the “Fuzzy Cut Challenge” and was a fuzzy cut image that was a four-and-a-half to six-and-a-half inch square put into an envelope and exchanged between members. They then added to that square; for example, putting on a border or adding some embroidery. The square was then given back to the original member and that member finished it into whatever they wanted. As a result there were wall hangings to full quilts made.

LAST YEAR’S “Featured Quilter,” Gloria Hermes, won for small wall hanging. Hermes also won the guild challenge this year. The wall hanging consisted of smallest pieces she had ever used and said the half-squares that made up the tiny brown, blue and green squares are leftovers from other projects. The challenge quilt consisted of floral squares of pink, green and yellow and was quilted by Leslie Garber and Pat Davies provided the creative work for the middle piece.

Next year, the group will feature two challenges, a block exchange as well as a mystery quilt. The mystery quilt is created by members who receive a set of instructions each month without knowing what the final quilt will look like.

“For example, they are told to get a light, a dark and a medium color fabric and then are instructed to make nine patches and a border,” explained Charles. “You keep getting instructions as you go along until the quilt is completed.”

The guild also donates quilts to county veterans, and other people in need, including victims of fires, or children who are sick. Committee members Della Russell and Gloria Hermes, had two large displays at the weekend show covered with quilts that will be given away throughout the year. There was also a book on the veterans’ display table for people to sign if they want to receive a quilt. “We just go by word-of-mouth to get veterans signed up for one,” said Charles.

OTHER CATEGORY winners were Melissa Tuckerman for her bed quilt in the Machine Pieced/Professionally Quilted group. Her design called My Wild Iris Rose had a vase of purple iris with a white background in the center, surrounded by a patchwork of purples and blues.

Patricia Robertson won for Best Hand Quilted, Winding Ways, featuring a rainbow of colored, winding squares. Pat Davies for Best Lap Quilt, “Kansas Troubles,” with an array of squares boarded by a white triangle sprinkled with flowers.

Katie Vesel won for her Large Wall Hanging called “Great Grandmother’s Flower Garden,” which she made for her mother, and it was filled with hexagons designed to look like a giant flower, on a tan background quilted by Patti Scheffer.

Della Russell won for her Art Quilt as well as in the Modern/Contemporary category. Her art quilt, “Marion,” started from a picture. “She reminds me of a beautiful ‘flapper’ mother,” she wrote in her description of the piece. Her other quilt, My Family Tree, was a scrap quilt with a blue background, which she spiced up with a twisted tree with leaves.

Amy Rice won in the Misc/Novelty category for a lovey white runner called “Orange Peel Runner,” with large black floral designs. Gaynelle Stamm won in the Guild Sponsored group, Save Our Scraps or SOS. Her entry was called, “Jewel Box Star” and started several years ago when guild members exchanged jewel box blocks.

Resa Briscoe won for her bright pink with colorful unicorn, Baby/child Quilt. It was her first win at the show. Michelle Zunino was first in the Special Exhibits (non-quilt) category for her crochet gray and blue afghan.

Guild members wanted to thank the local Cub Scout group for their help in tearing down the display fixtures for a second year in a row.

The guild meets every Tuesday throughout the county and new members are always welcome. They can call Pat at (406) 864-2128 in Alberton; Peggy at (406) 382-0322 in Superior; or Patty in St. Regis at (406) 529-1844 for information.