The amazing creative talents of scores of members of the SaddleBrooke Quilters Club were presented in living color Sunday, March 24, in HOA-2’s MountainView Ballroom. More than 100 quilts, made by members, were viewed by nearly 800 guests. Each guest could vote for their choice of first and second place in the Viewers’ Choice Awards. This year’s winners were (second place) Paula Fulton, and Pat Morris (first place, see photos). All of the quilts on display, from giant king size bed quilts to small wall hangings, showed the unique mastery of artistically sewing fabric pieces together into a design and then hand or machine quilting a “sandwich” of the pieced top, a layer of batting and a backing fabric. The intricate quilting patterns are often the outrageously creative “stars” of any show. One example of such quilting was on display in the club’s Raffle Quilt this year—a staircase of cacti surrounded by lavish quilting. Rosie Riewer was the very happy winner of the quilt. More than two dozen club members helped create that masterpiece, which won Best of Show in the Tucson Quilt Club’s Fiesta.
The quilt club also presented live demos on three topics and featured a Boutique with hundreds of quilted items, books and patterns for sale. On display in the ballroom were also several Quilts of Valor. The club partakes in this national program to honor veterans for their service. SaddleBrooke Quilters honor veterans who live within the SaddleBrooke communities with a beautiful ceremony and quilt of their own. In addition to Quilts of Valor, SaddleBrooke Quilters also make quilts and accessories for four to five local charities each year. Funds raised from the Quilt Show Boutique and raffle ticket sales help support the fulfillment of needs requests from the charities chosen by membership vote.
This year, in addition to the Quilt Raffle, three “Dine-Around” raffle packages were available. Guests were given one free raffle ticket for four on-the-hour raffles. SaddleBrooke Quilters thank these establishments for their generosity in donating certificates: Bubb’s Grub, Lick’s Ice Cream, Mali Thai, MountainView Bar & Grill, Catalina Craft Pizza, Mi Tierra, Charred Pie, Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, Red Lobster, Chili’s, Ranch House Grill, Saffron Indian Bistro, Village Bakehouse, First Watch, Sunny Side Up, Kingfisher Bar & Grill, The Preserve, Seis Kitchen, Roadrunner Grill, Wildflower, The Keg, Vivaci’s, Churrasco de Brasil Brazilian Steakhouse, La Hacienda Family Mexican, Tohono Chul Garden Bistro, Harvest and Cadillac Chaparral Steakhouse. As guests left the show, many commented, “This was the best show yet!” Congratulations, SaddleBrooke Quilters.
SaddleBrooke Quilters is open to all SaddleBrooke residents in HOA-1 and HOA-2 and meets Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at HOA-1‘s Arts Classroom, opposite the Gift Shop.
