Topsfield Fair's 200th anniversary!

Click here for Topsfield Fair information

The Essex County's famous Topsfield Fair starts today (Friday September 28, 2018.)  I had the pleasure of assisting the judging of the quilt entries again this year ... 80 quilts are hanging in the Coolidge Building, and one of my young students has submitted hers for the second year. Last year she won best of show with her Jaguar's Jungle quilt, and this year's entry is titled Galileo's Galaxy.  I am not a judge of the quilts ... just one of a dozen helpers who record the judge's scores and comments, or hold the quilts up for the judge's eyes, or, in my case, hold the judge to a limit of three minutes per quilt. I learn a great deal at these sessions, listening to the comments and seeing how the various components of the quilts are judged. Of course, I can't reveal the judge's results until after the show has opened ... but I can tell you that it is an impressive assortment of quilts made by talented sewists of all ages!

Click here for MVQ show information

Also opening today (Friday) is the Merrimack Valley Quilters Guild Show, in Newburyport, MA. This is a two day show and features quilts made by members of the guild, along with tables of boutique items, a room full of 'white elephant' sale items, raffle baskets filled with fabrics, notions, batting and various other items that catch visitors' eyes. I don't attend the guild's show as my shop, Quilters' Quarters, is open on those two days and Rick is no longer here to spell me while I would attend. All guild members are asked to donate at least two hours of their time during the show to man the various displays, work as 'white glovers' to turn quilts and allow visits to view the backs, and demonstrate various skills.

As I'm unable to be in two places at once, I try to donate items to the show to be raffled off ... this year I've given a few antique sewing machines, including a beautiful Singer model 66 Treadle machine with Red Eye Decals in a multi-drawer cabinet, which I'm sure will garner a lot of attention!

I had a wonderful surprise this week at Quilters' Quarters ... a woman called and said she had some juvenile fabrics that she wanted to donate, as she had learned that I work at making comfort quilts for the local fire and police departments to carry in their vehicles for children who are at fire or accident scenes ... she came this morning with three full crates of beautiful fabrics! I'm looking forward to bringing some to the Georgetown Senior Center to make quilts with the volunteers there.  I'm sure we'll have enough to continue to provide the public safety building supply and also donate to a homeless shelter nearby. 

Wishing you all an easier season this autumn ... looking forward myself to cooler weather!

~Terry

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