The 67th Annual Pasco County Fair took place Feb. 17-23 in Dade City at the Fairgrounds on State Road 52. This year, the competition was called “Collura Country Cottage.” One of the highlights, for many years, has been the quilt competition.
(Courtesy of Cinda McCormick)
Five women from the Twisted Stitchers’ Quilt Club in Sweetwater Park in Zephyrhills did particularly well. Betty Keller, leader of crafts and quilting in the park, received the prestigious Best In Show award, called the Vera Cox Award of Excellence, in quilting. She received a deep burgundy ribbon award for a lovely quilt made from vintage handkerchiefs that she had been collecting for years.
Her Dizzy Diamonds quilt won an Award of Excellence as well. Betty’s third entry, a wall hanging, also won a blue ribbon.
Janet Barrett’s baby quilt, “Jungle Babies,” won a blue ribbon, and she made it for her great-grandson.
Sue Gilbert, another avid quilter, entered six quilts in the fair. She won a blue ribbon, or first place, on each, and an Award of Excellence on two of them.
Her first quilt used the “A Trip Around the World pattern.” She renamed the queen-sized quilt “A Trip Around the Garden” because each of the 20 fabrics had flowers on them. It won a first-place ribbon.
She called her second queen-sized quilt her “Chicken Quilt.” The pattern is a snowball block with a pieced floral block. She used fabric representing chicken wire for the outside border.
Sue’s third entry was a tall and trim Christmas tree wall hanging.
“This paper-pieced pattern is very easy, and tall and narrow, which is great for decorating a Florida trailer,” Sue said.
Sue’s fourth entry was “Papas Truck,” an appliqué wall hanging using Wonder-Under. It was created by B.J. Designs and Patterns.
Sue’s fifth entry, a wall hanging called “Fonzie Frog,” won a first-place ribbon, and a pink and white large ribbon, Award of Excellence. This is an appliqué project using Wonder-Under, created by Jackie Cooper, who lives at least part-time near North Fort Myers.
Sue’s sixth and final entry was “Pioneer Toddler.” It received a first-place ribbon, and another Award of Excellence ribbon. Sue, also a good photographer, took a photo of a little girl and her mom at the Pioneer Museum’s Farm Fest in 2012, and decided to try to make a wall hanging from the photo.
Our fourth quilter was Madge Witzing. She did the pattern “Bethlehem Star.” It was a king-sized quilt, and Madge used a mixture of blues, white and greens. She has only quilted for a couple of years and her quilting friend, Vivian, shared the pattern with her.
Madge found it to be quite a challenge but was pleased with the result and earned a second-place ribbon. She will give it to her daughter.
The last Twisted Stitchers’ club member, Suzanne Parrish, entered three items in the fair. Her first quilt, “My National Park Quilt,” won Grand Champion.
“You can buy the pictures of the national parks online,” Suzanne said.
Pattie Geyman did the quilt on a long-arm quilt machine.
Suzanne’s second entry was a Christmas tree wall hanging with homemade Christmas ornaments. It was quilted on a long-arm by Nada Garvin. This entry received a first place, and an Award of Excellence.
Her third entry was a hand-appliquéd and hand-quilted wall hanging called “Shades of Baltimore.” It received a second-place ribbon.
Sweetwater’s quilters not only made themselves proud, but also made residents of Sweetwater proud, too.
The Twisted Stitchers’ Quilt Club annual Quilt Show and Tea was March 12 in the Running Water Clubhouse.
By Cinda McCormick
Published March 19, 2014
