Columbia residents to display at upcoming show
A Columbia 9-year-old who took an interest in quilting when his grandmother learned the craft will have several quilts on display in a regional show next month.
As a toddler, Jamie Martin sat in the lap of his grandmother, Jo Ellen Carr, and watched her as she learned to make the textiles known for both their utility and artistry.
“I started quilting seven years ago,” Carr said. “He wanted to help at 18 months old. I’d put him in my lap. He didn’t have a choice but to be involved in it. He enjoyed learning the process.”
They’ll both have quilts on display Oct. 5 and Oct. 6 at the Pine Belt Quilters 17th Biennial Fiber Art and Quilt Show at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.
Since 1985, the Pine Belt Guild has sponsored the only such show in the area and the largest in Mississippi. The 2018 show has 290 quilts competing for the coveted title of Best of Show. Some quilts are larger, and some are small. Some are hand-quilted, and others are quilted by a machine. All are eligible for awards.
Carr said making quilts can be difficult, requiring a lot of work and time.
“This is my first time to show,” she said. “I have no idea what to expect. This year’s theme was ‘Mississippi Treasures.’ My quilt is actually painted.”
Her young grandson will have two quilts on display.
“Jamie made one for himself and one that will be donated for police/fire and first responders,” Carr said. “He also made a quilt for his great-grandmother. For him to compete, an adult cannot do any of the sewing on top of it. He learned. I showed him how to thread a sewing machine, and he does it now.”
A star feature of the show is the raffle quilt made by members of the guild. Most of the members live in the Pine Belt, but some live father north, some call the Gulf Coast home, and one member lives in Georgia.
Show admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children and the event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Tickets for the Mississippi Kaleidoscope raffle quilt can be obtained from any member and will be available at the show.
In addition to the Saturday drawing of the raffle quilt winner, the show will include lectures, a silent auction and door prizes both days. The guild also offers a boutique that show attendees always look forward to for fun shopping. Handmade items that are useful for even those who do not quilt can be found in the boutique. Many quilters like to find leftover fabrics from small pieces to tiny ones coveted by many who use fabric as an art medium.
There is also a special exhibit by the Southern Fiber Artists with 54 pieces on display. These pieces are not traditional quilts, but small works of art. The show is directed by
founding guild member and past president Martha Ginn of Hattiesburg.
Pictured Above: Jamie Martin, 9, shows off one of the quilts he made for the upcoming Pine Belt Quilters show. | Photo by Mark Rogers
