Inspiring quilters of all abilities

Noting a panel of eight judges identifies the winners of the some 30 categories of quilts evaluated in this year’s competition, Green said the dozens of quilt submissions they receive from beginners are just as likely to inspire a visitor, who may be surprised to find out a piece they have been admiring was done by someone who just started the craft.

“It’s a craft that … everybody can learn and we want to encourage people to start the craft,” she said. “We want to try to help them find beginning quilting classes and help get them started.”

Sewing by hand, sewing machine or even computer, quilters have many tools available to them when it comes to piecing together the many components, which includes everything from the intricacies of the quilt top to the batting and backing needed to finish a project, said Curry. How well someone executes on quilting techniques is a factor in a judge’s evaluation in a wide array of categories, ranging from group quilts to those made with computer assistance, she said.

Though she is a judge herself, Curry said eight judges from outside the area are selected to evaluate quilts at the county fair to ensure they are not familiar with the work. She said judges take several aspects of a quilt’s workmanship into account, but an eye for a compelling design weighs heavily in their top choices.

“It’s all about how it affects the viewer,” she said.

As a member of the Peninsula Quilters Guild, East Palo Alto resident Sandra Adger has made several quilts for charity and loved ones. She said she enjoys helping visitors to the exhibit create bean bags out of quilt squares because it helps spread the word the craft is alive and well. Favoring a “scrappy” aesthetic, which she described as “anything goes,” Adger said she is more motivated by a quilt effect on the person who receives it than the competitive aspect of it.

“For me, quilts are hugs,” she said. “If I can wrap it around somebody’s shoulders, that’s where I get my gratification.”

Having submitted several quilts to this year’s exhibit, San Mateo quilting teacher Barbara Hall was also encouraged by the submissions received from artists of all ability levels — all of whom have different ways of dedicating time to what can be a time-consuming craft.

“You’ve put in this effort and people need to see it,” she said. “People that don’t sew are really impressed and it’s really impressive.”

She said the quilting community is very supportive of those learning the craft, adding many gather in groups to work on projects and exchange ideas. Acknowledging the many steps required to bring the components together, Halls said quilters are not always keen on estimating how long a specific project will take, not only because they can take time but also because so much of one’s life experience gets sewn into it.

“It’s like the culmination of everything,” she said.

anna@smdailyjournal.com

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