St. Regis long-arm quilter featured at Cabin Fever Show

Every year, the Cabin Fever Quilt Guild holds their show in Superior during the Mineral County Fair. The show is right next to the county fairgrounds in Superior High School, where the halls and multipurpose room are lined with hundreds of colorful and beautifully made quilts.

Guild members spend hours during the year making the quilts, some of which are judged in several categories, including “Best of Show” and “Viewer’s Choice Award.”

Also during this annual event, a guild member is featured, and this year the honor goes to a St. Regis resident, 77-year-old Mary Eldridge. She started quilting 30 years ago after attending a class taught by a good friend in Libby. She soon fell in love with the hobby and even started her own quilt and fabric store while living in Chinook, Mont.

In 2005, Eldridge and her husband of 55-years, Albert, moved to Harrisburg, Neb., and she moved her store along with them. In Harrisburg, she continued to run it for a total of 16 years before selling the business when the couple moved to St. Regis two years ago. In addition to quilting, Eldridge keeps busy with her ever-expanding family, which includes four children, 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Since she taught classes, Eldridge felt she needed to learn all aspects of quilting, and said she loves it all. “My husband says I could quilt from dawn to dusk. I just keep at it because I love it so much, she said.”

Eldridge uses a long-arm quilting machine and enjoys the guild’s charity work of donating them to local veterans and other people in need. Eldridge said she really likes the women in the guild, and was flattered when they announced she was selected as their featured quilter.

The public is welcome to attend the Cabin Fever Quilters show on Aug. 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and vote on their favorite quilts as well as enter raffles and win a variety of prizes.