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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 2018)
12 Wednesday, February 28, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon QUILT PROJECT: Booths will be set up in Sisters locations Continued from page 4 communication, she noted. “But it was just an idea until the amazing ladies from our quilting community offered their help — on top of all the other great things they already do,” she said. “When they joined in, that’s when we really started doing our happy dance. “I hope our community never loses that quality — that sort of apathy-busting willingness to be a resource for one another,” Burgstahler said. “It’s an attitude that says: ‘Maybe I can help; but even if I can’t, then perhaps I can help you find someone who can.’” The Values & Visioning quilt will feature space for about 170 sentiments and will measure 80 inches square. “We made it big to fit as many comments as possible,” Burgstahler said. In addition to being used to guide the visioning process, the senti- ments will appear on a proj- ect web page, which also will become home to any extra sentiments that couldn’t make it onto the quilt. There is no cost to write a sentiment. “We didn’t want barriers to participation,” Burgstahler said. Specialty fabric mark- ers will be provided at the booths; and the squares are pre-backed with freezer paper to make them easier to sign. After its debut at the quilt show, the quilt will be dis- played locally. “We’re looking to have it in a few local spaces — like the library — and then give it a visible, permanent home,” Burgstahler said. There’s also precedent for community quilts to be “auc- tioned” each year, she said. Instead of owning the quilt, the winning bidder would be recognized on a piece dis- played with the quilt; and the bid money would go toward a local need. It would be a great way to raise money for good causes and keep the visioning process alive for many years to come. — Amy Burgstahler PHOTO BY AMY BURGSTAHLER June Jaeger at work on the Community Values & Visioning signature quilt. “It would be a great way to raise money for good causes and keep the vision- ing process alive for many years to come,” Burgstahler said. Service is a common thread for local quilt group PHOTO BY AMY BURGSTAHLER East of the Cascades quilter Janet Storton uses her vintage Singer Featherweight to prepare a blank square for the signature quilt. The East of the Cascades Quilters — led by Diane Tolzman and Gilda Hunt — are shepherding production of the quilt for the Community Values & Visioning sig- nature quilt project. The project also has drawn encouragement and vital support from others, includ- ing: Kathy Deggendorfer, Jill Miller, Jeanette Pilak, Jean Wells, Jeff McDonald, Zoe Schumacher and Judy Trego. Quilters involved i n c l u d e : To l z m a n a n d Hunt, Janet Storton, Janet Roshak, Sue Olsen, Cece Montgomery, Nancy Frazeur and June Jaeger. Tolzman says she’s “thrilled” to help produce the visioning-inspired piece. “As people write on the quilt, it will reinforce what a special community we live in, and it will lead us into the future,” she said. “I hope this process helps ensure our cur- rent values continue and our goals become a reality.” Neither Tolzman nor Amy Burgstahler, a C4C board member and a lead coordi- nator for the quilt project, are aware of Sisters Country engaging in a community signature quilt project prior to the Community Values & Visioning signature quilt project. And they believe the metaphor of a quilt adds extra significance. “The idea of it being comprised of many differ- ent pieces of fabric, com- ing together and bound by a common thread… It’s a per- fect way to memorialize the Sisters visioning process,” Tolzman said. Burgstahler agreed. “We hope the quilt serves as a lasting symbol for the com- munity — a legacy piece.” The East of the Cascades Quilters’ “common thread” — a sincere love of com- munity — inspires several efforts that bring joy and comfort to area residents. In addition to making several quilt show pieces, they sew “Quilts for Kids” for local preschoolers. They also cre- ate quilts for distribution by Family Access Network and area police and fire depart- ments. Tolzman figures the quilters donated 160 quilts last year. And this year they will represent Sisters nation- ally by quilting 15 Christmas tree skirts for trees from Sweet Home, Oregon, that will be displayed at the White House.
