By Shannon McFarlin, News Director
Paris, Tenn.–Nothing conveys the sense of home and comfort like a nice homemade quilt. With that in mind, the Paris/Henry County Bicentennial is hosting a Quilt Show next week to showcase local quilts and quilters. And, it will feature an extra special homemade quilt during a silent auction that will be held during the show.
The show will be held Monday through Wednesday, April 24-26, at the Old 5&10 Event Center and is being held in cooperation with the Paris Quilt Guild. The event is free. The event will be held fom 1-5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.
Local quilters will display up to 30 quilts. Both hand or machine sewn quilts are welcome. No antique quilts may be submitted. While there are no categories, awards will be given for Best of Show, 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and People’s Choice.
The silent auction quilt was crafted by local long-time quilter Annette Douglas.
Douglas said when she was trying to think of what kind of quilt to make for the silent auction, she decided upon a quilt based on a Churn Dash pattern, a 200-year old pattern. “I thought, ‘What would be better for a Bicentennial than a 200-year-old pattern?’, she said. The Churn Dash is a nine-patch quilt block pattern which oiginated between 1800 and 1849 and its name comes from its resemblance to the parts of a butter churn.
She spent the month of March creating the quilt. “I’ve made a Butter Churn quilt before, but they weren’t as crazy colorful as this one,” she said. “But I wanted this one to be unique.”
Douglas said she has been quilting “as long as I can remember” and made her first full quilt when she was in college.
Members of the Bicentennial Committee will be manning the show during its run. Former Journalism Teacher/Professor, Ann Landini (who is also a quilt enthusiast) will serve as judge.
If you are in the Paris/Henry County area and have a quilt (no antiques please) to show, please email HCBICEN200@gmail.com and forms will be forwarded. As this is a limited venue, they will accept applications on a first-come, first-served basis.
Photo: Annette Douglas shows the quilt she made for the silent auction. Shannon McFarlin photo.