Quilt show draws enthusiasts

HURLEY - More than 100 area residents came to check out 76 quilted items made by local quilters during a show offered by the Northern Lights Quilt Guild at the Iron County Memorial Building in Hurley.

Items included bed-size quilts, lap quilts, table runners, pillows and antique and baby quilts. "We have a lot of wonderful quilts and talented quilters," Guild member Sue Abelman said. Entrants included Guild members and non-members from across the Gogebic Range.

A quilt with a theme about witches by Sue Nezworski won the People's Choice Award.

One display was a free "make it and take it" activity led by Abelman. She taught participants how to stuff and sew finger pincushions from squares of colorful, patterned fabric.

Another display was the Guild's raffle quilt a bed-size blanket featuring scraps of many different fabrics. Made together by group members, it will be shown at various local craft events with the drawing set at the Guild's biennial quilt show on Sept. 20, 2014, at the Ironwood Memorial Building. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit their hospice quilts efforts.

The show, which served as a fundraiser for the Iron County Memorial Building Renovation Committee, was a "great success," according to committee member Dorothy Walesewicz, of Kimball. "I just thought it was awesome," she said.

An entrance fee, a 50/50 drawing and other raffles brought in funds. A quilt donated by a friend of Walesewicz's from Illinois and various gift items donated by locals were raffled. Juliette Kangas won the 50/50 prize of $56, while Virginia Benninghoff won the quilt donated by Walesewicz's friend.

Money raised will benefit ongoing restoration efforts in the building, Walesewicz said. Currently, work is wrapping up in the kitchen. "The kitchen area is going to be completed," she said. "Tile and flooring all came in, I think on Thursday, and they'll probably start on that (today)."

The next project will be installing carpet panels above the windows in the auditorium to help muffle sound echo, Walesewicz said.

Working with the Northern Lights Quilt Guild "couldn't be better," Walesewicz said.

Guild member Jeanne Walston, of Kimball, who helped organize the show, agreed. "Everybody has just loved it," she said.

Walston said she was also pleased with the "amazing" turnout. "We've even had men coming in and looking at the quilts, reading about them and looking at the stitching," she said.

The best part for Walston? "Seeing all the beautiful quilts that everybody has made," she said. "Most of these people don't put them in the (biennial) quilt show. The Guild members do, but people from around the area don't showcase often."

Volunteers helped the show run smoothly, setting up, taking tickets at the door and selling raffle tickets. Guild members and family and friends of Walston pitched in, she said.

The success was due to many, Walston said. "Thank you to the public for coming, thank you for the participation and thanks to the volunteers."

Due to Hurley High School's playoff football game and open houses in the area, "We weren't sure what we were going to have," Walston said. "But I think it's turned out just phenomenally. It's surpassed our expectations."