Vibrant fiber art to enchant the eye at 2019 Pins and Needles Quilt Show

Pahrump Valley residents and visitors should prepare to be swept away into a land of color and creation during the Shadow Mountain Quilters’ 2019 Pins and Needles Quilt Show, scheduled for this Friday and Saturday, April 5 and 6 at Nevada Treasure RV Resort.

To be held in the theme of “Up, up and away!” the quilt show will feature a vast array of fiber artworks, including quilts of all types and sizes and needlework productions that will undoubtedly leave attendees raving with wonder and praise.

“The Pins and Needles Quilt Show is a glorious array of colorful quilts, that demonstrates our members’ love of the art,” event coordinator Violet Touchton said with obvious excitement. “Our members have diverse skills. There are also entries in knitting, crochet and other needlework. Please join us as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Shadow Mountain Quilters.”

For those looking to be a little more hands-on and pick up a few tips and techniques from the pros, there will also be several demonstrations throughout the two-day event.

Starting at 10 a.m. on Friday will be a lesson on the disappearing nine patch technique, followed by folded placemats at noon. Seamless pillowcases will be the focus of the 1 p.m. demonstration and the 3 p.m. appliqué, cotton and wool session will complete Friday’s demos.

On Saturday, demonstrations will begin at 10 a.m. with potholders, followed by another round of seamless pillowcases at noon.

A demonstration on the many and varied way to utilize glue sticks in creating fiber works of art will be held at 1 p.m. and the day will finish once again with appliqué, cotton and wool at 3 p.m.

Also part of the demonstrations will be the bed turning segments, to be held at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. both Friday and Saturday.

Bed turning is an old-fashioned method of displaying quilts and relating the stories associated with them, from the sad and somber to the happy and hilarious.

Quilts are carefully are laid out on a bed and one by one, they are turned back and shown while their history is described and this portion of the quilt show is always a big hit.

There will be plenty of vendors on site as well, offering merchandise of all kinds, including, of course, items related to quilting.

Door prizes and raffle prizes will be up for grabs too, with all of the raffle baskets donated from generous local businesses and organizations.

“This year we have wonderful large raffle baskets that are filled with items for all ages, including tool baskets for the handy person at your house. Baskets also include gift certificates that total more than $1,000!” Touchton detailed.

Perhaps the most sought-after raffle prize each year is the Opportunity Quilt, a quilt made specifically for the theme of the show and raffled off to one very lucky winner at the culmination of the show.

“The Opportunity Quilt, which measures 84x110 inches, was designed and made by a local quilt artist,” Touchton explained. “The tornado represents the theme of the show ‘Up, Up and Away’ by adding many things that fly into the quilting. Included are Pegasus, a flying pig, a fairy, an airplane a helicopter and more. It is fun to locate all the objects.”

A professional quilt appraiser will also be on hand during the show to help attendees determine the value of their own quilts.

Admission for the 2019 Pins and Needles Quilt Show is $5 per person for one day or $8 per person for a two-day event pass. Kids 12 years and younger are free, as are all husbands who attend with their paying wives.

The show will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, with the awards ceremony set for 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Nevada Treasure RV Resort is located at 301 W. Leslie St., near the intersection of Leslie Street and North Highway 160.

For more information email shadowmountainquilters@gmail.com or visit www.shadowmountainquilters.com

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com