Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Club’s 29th annual Quilt Show

“Hearts, Friends and Flowers”

When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday, July 17-18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, July 19

Where: Sequim Middle School,301 W. Hendrickson Road

Cost: $5 suggest donation; free shuttle bus

Features: 200-plus quilts on display, demonstrations, door prizes, country store, merchants and quilt raffle

Perfection in the eye of one local quilter is spotted from 10 feet away.

“Finished is better than perfect,” said Peggy St. George, featured quilter of the Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Club’s annual show. “If we let perfection be our goal, we will rarely finish anything.”

That’s why St. George likes the 10-foot rule.

“If it looks good from 10 feet, it is perfect,” she said.

Visitors can get closer than that at the Sunbonnet Sue’s 29th annual show this weekend from July 17-19 at Sequim Middle School. A suggested donation of $5 helps the club with programs.

More than 200 quilts go on display, including 26 pieces from St. George.

As tradition, the show features an array of quilts, including community quilts — a program providing quilts that go to people in need and/or community groups.

Show chairman Marilyn Reinarz said a lot of effort and thought goes into each community quilt.

“Not only does the club provide the community with outstanding quilts, but there’s a lot of giving to children and families in need,” Reinarz said.

“These are quilts that are all designed and have a lot of effort put into them.”

Featured quilter

St. George, a member of the club since 2006 after 37 years in California as a government analyst/program manager, is the 14th featured quilter chosen by previous recipients.

She said the selection came as a surprise.

“I quilt because I enjoy the process, working with textiles and gifting them to family and friends,” St. George said. “My greatest joy is when the recipient actually uses the quilts.”

She began quilting in 1998 to make a baby quilt for her niece and later took a few quilt classes. St. George prefers machine piecing, machine applique and machine quilting.

One of her many contributions to the club is helping coordinate the club’s annual Quilt Challenge, which she’s done since 2009.

This year, quilters took on the theme of “Through the Eyes of a Child” by using an original piece of art from a child 12 and younger and translating it to a quilt.

“We don’t see those quilts until Wednesday (July 15) and I can’t wait to see them,” St. George said. “Members vote on their favorites, and the public votes at the show too.”

Another featured art quilt, “Pansies,” brings together 12 quilt artists using a photo by Sue Nylander. The photo was enlarged and a piece was given to each person without knowledge of the entire photo. The only requirements were that the artist receive a photo copy matching lines and colors while allowed to use any fiber technique and embellishment.

Return of the heirloom

Reinarz said after a one year absence, turning of heirloom quilts are making a comeback.

She said they received a lot of feedback from fans and are bringing in 12 quilts with interesting stories.

“Volunteers will put the quilts on a bed, and people can sit down and listen to stories of the quilt, about the women who made them, maybe about the material, etc.,” Reinarz said.

“Interesting stories come out of them. When you sit down and listen some quilts will make you go, ‘Oh my word.’”

Raffle the heart

Based on the this year’s theme “Hearts, Friends and Flowers,” the annual raffle quilt, using applique, took more than a year to complete, Reinarz said.

Tickets are $1 each and support the community quilt program.

Sharon Pederson designed the quilt, Loretta Bilow designed the Celtic border and 22 blocks individual blocks were appliquéd by 22 members of the Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Club along with The Appliqué Society. They include Karen Agee, Jan Bartlett, Bilow, Jan Bock, Lois Brestoff, Betty Cook, Diane Davis, Nancy Davis, Virginia Elliott, Jeri Hight, Linda Huggins, Mary Frann Hutson, Gail Mabbutt, Barbara McArthur, Ilse Osier, Barb Parse, Ginny Phillips, Jaydee Price, Judy Richey, Martha Scott and Toni Tobin. Norma Herbold, Bilow and Doris Hartness assembled it and Mary Ann Clayton machine quilted it.

For more information about the show, visit www.sunbonnetsuequiltclub.org.