A record 376 persons from 41 Missouri communities and seven other states crowded into the Houston United Methodist Church on Saturday to view 246 quilts and wall hangings.
The display ranged from quilts made in the 1800s to modern day hand crafted items sewn for a variety of uses. Historical vignettes featured the use of quilts through history, including the most recent service project of the Piney River Quilt Guild, sending handmade quilts to wounded soldiers in the burn unit at Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.
An opportunity quilt made by guild members, and hand quilted by Christine Shurden of Yukon, was won by Sue Ward of Mansfield. A quilt rack that was hand carved by Russ Biros of Plato was won by Jackie Stogsdill of Houston. Proceeds from both items will be donated to three local charities: Relay for Life, Hospice of Care and The Texas County Animal Shelter.
Family members from Mountain View, Birch Tree, Winona and Laquey met in Houston to view the quilt show and discovered a family treasure they didn’t know existed. On display was a friendship quilt (the kind where quilters names are embroidered into the fabric), purchased by Viann Johnson of Willow Springs, when she attended a 1995 auction in Houston. She had the aged top quilted and asked to display it in the show, hoping someone would recognize at least one name on the quilt. Zella Price of Winona recognized the names of her grandmother and two aunts. Johnson gave the quilt to the family.
The Piney River Quilt Guild, hosts of the show, was organized in 2000, and it includes 40 members from surrounding communities.
They meet the third Thursday of the month in the basement of the Houston United Methodist Church.