Quilters' Guild showcases past-presidents' challenge at Victoria Park Gallery

Eight beautifully-quilted wall-hangings are showcased in the guest gallery at the Victoria Park Gallery in downtown Kincardine, for the month of May.

Created by members of the Kincardine Sunset Quilters' Guild, the work is part of the group's past-presidents' challenge.

The guild was formed in 1994 when 15 ladies got together to learn, and teach each other, to quilt. This year, the guild is fortunate to have six of these original people as members. The guild has grown and prospered until there are now more than 90 members.

Every two years, the past-presidents pose a challenge to the members. This year, the challenge was to make a quilt of a Canadian scene, containing a maple leaf of any colour, and with a perimeter not exceeding 120 inches.

Eight quilts were submitted and can be viewed in the Victoria Park Gallery through to the end of May. Ballots are available so you can vote for your favourite quilt!

But quilts are made for more than just to look at. Over the past year, the guild has made and donated 120 quilts to the Linus Project. Through this project, quilts, as well as knitted and crocheted blankets, are given to children who must stay long-term in hospitals. The recipients vary in age from infants up to 18-year-olds, and the quilts then belong to the children.

Most of the quilts produced by the Kincardine guild go to hospitals in Kitchener and London. But quilts are also given to families in the community, as needed.

Every two years, the guild makes a large bed quilt which is donated to a local organization to be used as a fund-raiser. Recipients of these quilts have included the Kincardine Lions Club, Kincardine Legion, and the South Bruce Grey Health Centre - Kincardine hospital auxiliary.

Most recently, the guild donated a quilt to the Huron Shores Hospice committee to be used in its new facility. The blocks for these quilts are all made by members - if 42 blocks are needed, they will be made by 42 different members. it is a group effort to benefit the community.

To view more quilts made by members of the Kincardine Sunset Quilters' Guild, mark June 16, 2018, on your calendar, as a reminder to attend a quilt show at the Davidson Centre, Kincardine.