Quilt show opens this weekend at Lakes Region Community College

LACONIA — Members of the Belknap Mill Quilters Guild are passionate about sharing their creations with the community. They'll get the chance this weekend, when the Harvest of Quilts Show opens at Lakes Region Community College, and the Mysterious Quilt Journey kicks off.

The show is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21. The college is at 379 Belmont Road.

Meeting once a month at the college, guild members share a quilt they are working on, or one they've just finished.

“Quilts create happiness,” said Katie Haddock, co-chair of the quilt show.

In conjunction with the show, the Mysterious Quilt Journey offers a unique opportunity for downtown visitors to see quilts in many of the stores.

“The journey was born out of COVID,” said show Co-Chair Ila Mattila. “During the pandemic, we couldn’t be in a building for the show, so we had the idea to ask downtown merchants to host a quilt in their shop window. We called the show the Mysterious Quilt Journey.”

The show was a pop-up event of sorts and allowed people to stroll down Main and other streets to see a variety of quilts in store windows. Many were created on a theme related to the store, such as a music shop displaying a quilt with a guitar pattern.

The event was so popular downtown merchants were eager to do it again. Billed as the “opening act to the quilt show,” the journey quilts are on display through Sept. 21. Haddock and Mattila oversee the installation and are in charge of choosing quilts submitted by guild members. It is never an easy task because, as they say, all member quilts are impressive. “Whenever possible, we try to match the quilt to the shop,” said Haddock. “We also help to work out logistics, such as measuring the available window space where a quilt will be displayed.”

Along with the quilts on view, the journey offers a chance to win prizes. “We have tried to make the Mysterious Quilt Journey interactive,” said Mattila. “Participating downtown merchants are given quilt blocks. Visitors who take the journey to see the quilts can get a block from each business. When they attend the quilt show at LRCC, they can put their name on each block and drop them in a container at the show. We draw names for some really great prizes.”

With 150 members, everyone in the Belknap Mill Quilters Guild was invited to submit work for display at the show. A list of businesses participating in the journey is given to guild members, as a particular shop may spark an idea for a quilt design. An example is a quilt sewn with a transparent effect, displayed at an optical shop, echoing vision and an eye exam. Another example is at the Colonial Theatre, which is displaying a quilt with a Celtic design as a nod to the venue’s upcoming Celtic Thunder show.

The show at LRCC brings in many guests and offers the public a chance to view the quilts sewn by talented guild members. “Quilting is an art form we want to share with everyone,” said Haddock.

Quilts are submitted for display in the show on a first-come, first-served basis, as many quilts as will fit comfortably into the exhibit space will be on view. About 150 quilts of all styles, techniques and sizes are in the show.

At the show will be a raffle for a quilt called “Blue Smoke,” measuring 92x102 inches. Handmade gifts and gently used quilting supplies will be on sale, and vendors will offer fabrics and quilt supplies.

The Belknap Mill Quilters Guild started in 1978 with a core membership of 22 women. At that time, quilting was making a resurgence. Haddock surmised it was likely because quilting is a historic fiber art that fit well with the country’s Bicentennial.

The guild is going strong these many years later, and monthly meetings feature guest speakers of note.

Quilt lovers can choose to take the Mysterious Quilt Journey through downtown Laconia or attend the show at LRCC, or both. Mattila agrees that quilts definitely create happiness.

For show information, visit bmqg.org or email info@bmqg.org.