Residents gear up for XII Hands All Around Quilt Show


Cheryl Ferriter of West Springfield works on a Round Robin Quilt in her home. She is the vendor chairperson for the upcoming Hands All Around XII Quilt Show, sponsored by the Hands Across the Valley Quilters Guild. Reminder Publications photo by Lori Szepelak

By Lori Szepelak

Correspondent

A legion of area residents are gearing up for the Hands All Around XII Quilt Show, including Cheryl Ferriter of West Springfield.

Ferriter is the vendor chairperson of this year s show, sponsored by the Hands Across the Valley Quilters Guild of Amherst. The 12th biennial quilt exhibition is slated March 21-22 in the LeFrak Gymnasium and the Cage at Amherst College.

More than 400 quilts and quilted items will be exhibited at the show, featuring works by local and northeast quilt artists. In addition, the exhibition will showcase the works of three guild members, the Show Us Your Bags silent auction, a mini-quilt auction, quilt appraisals, a Tutti Frutti raffle quilt, antique quilts, 20 vendors, demonstrations, a luncheon and snack bar. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for both days.

We are particularly pleased to host the traveling Alzheimer s: Forgetting Piece by Piece art quilt exhibit, Jim Carroll, publicity chair, said. Fifty-two inspirational quilts from this exhibit will be proudly displayed at our show.

The Alzheimer s exhibition, organized by the Alzheimer s Art Quilt Initiative, is being co-sponsored by the Alzheimer s Association, MA/NH Chapter, and the Mercy Continuing Care Network, in collaboration with the guild.

A special feature of the quilt show will be the Sixth Biennial Old Deerfield Quilt Challenge, sponsored by Memorial Hall Museum at Old Deerfield. Entrants will use a treasured appliqu quilt from Memorial Hall Museum s quilt collection as their inspiration, according to Carroll.

For Ferriter, her association with the guild began in 2001, but her love for the craft started in 1991.

I ve always loved hand crafts, including cross-stitch, smocking, embroidery, crewel, needlepoint, knitting and crocheting, Ferriter said during a recent interview in her home. I quilt mostly because it fulfills a need I have for self-expression.

Ferriter conceded that like everyone else, she has a busy life and quilting helps her to slow down and take some time to relax.

You get to play with color and fabric in ways that you never thought you would, she added. It s like being a kid again and playing with blocks.

Ferriter noted that the quilting community is part of what makes the craft unique.

Quilters are very special people, she said. Looking to the past, you can see that the heritage of quilting has been passed down through the years.

Early quilters participated in quilting bees where they came together to quilt and share. Today, quilters still get together regularly in guilds and smaller groups and carry on the traditions of the past.

I believe it is in our nature to express ourselves in fabric and quilters give back to the community in a very special way, she said. The Alzheimer s exhibit is one example of this.

Ferriter explained that the Alzheimer s exhibit contains quilts with each depicting Alzheimer s in a different way.

The exhibit is both stunning and moving, she added.

More than 20 vendors displaying their wares are also expected to participate in the show, according to Ferriter. Vendors will include quilt shop owners, a local woodworker who creates thread holders and quilt racks, and area residents who sell unique buttons, types of threads and specialty fabric. A local sewing machine shop owner is also expected to participate in the show.

We re a very diverse group who are almost like a family, Ferriter said, adding, brought together through a love of fabric, color and the art of quilting. If you decide to try it, be prepared, I m sure you ll fall in love too.

A portion of the proceeds raised from the quilt show will be donated to local charitable organizations. Admission is $8 for adults, $2 for children ages six to 12, and free for children five and younger.

For more information on the show, visit www.handsacrossthevalley.org.

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