Patriotism, freedom, music, landscapes and chickens are among the themes you’ll find represented in the Sterling Public Library’s 19th Annual Quilt Show, now on display.

This year’s exhibit features 37 quilts, which library superintendent Sandy Van Dusen says are a pretty good number, “certainly more than last year.” The purpose of the show is to celebrate the art and techniques of quilting. As in the past, the show features quilts performed with a wide variety of skill levels.

“Nobody starts off as an expert quilter and we want to show that a quilt made by a beginner is loved and appreciated as well as a very technical, expertly made quilt,” reads a brochure for the show.

Among the quilts on display is a 49 x 54 inch “Pathway to Freedom Sampler” made by Shirlene Cramer. Her quilt sampler was inspired by the book “The Patchwork Path, A Quilt Map to Freedom” by Bettye Stroud, which is based on a story given to Jacquelin Tobin by African-American quilter Ozella McDaniel Williams about how slaves used quilts to communicate in the subway. Railway.

According to a Government of Canada article, Black History Month, Underground Railroad Quilt Codes, “There is still controversy among historians and scholars about the quilt code theory and the question whether escaped slaves actually used codes hidden in quilt patterns to track the escape. Underground Railroad routes. As the oral histories leave no written records, there is no written evidence that the quilt pattern codes actually excited. What remains are the stories passed down from generation to generation by the slaves themselves and, in keeping with the code of secrecy, many stories have never been told.

Duvets come in all sizes. One of the smaller ones, a 20 x 21 inch quilted wall hanging entitled “Balanced Rock”, was presented by Abigail Wilson. The quilt was designed and made by Wilson’s grandmother, Joey Wilson, who lived in Moab, Utah and enjoyed the beautiful formations of Arches National Park.

“She designed and sold hundreds of these models and they were made by people all over the world! Wilson shared.

A 56-by-68-inch “Crazy Chickens” quilt was featured by Jeannette Lininger, who has been quilting for over 40 years. She says that most of the time she spends at least a few hours in her sewing room, because that’s really her therapy.

Her “Crazy Chicken” quilt was made by looking at several quilts and adapting the images to her liking. It is machine sewn and quilted.

“My mom (mom of 12!!) loved chickens so hopefully she approves,” Lininger wrote in her quilt description.

Other quilters are not as experienced. A 67-inch by 76-inch ‘Nothing Runs Like a Deere’ quilt was made by Lila Koch, who had never quilt a day in her life until the COVID-19 pandemic hit and she had to stay mostly at home, experiencing extreme hardship. case of cabin fever. She also needed a birthday present for her husband, who is a fan of John Deere graffiti, their tractors, and all vintage tractors in general.

“All was well, so the quilt idea was born, and with the help of YouTube videos and having been around quilters all my life, I ‘quilted’ my very first quilt!” Koch said in the description of her quilt, which won a third place ribbon at the 2021 Logan County Fair.

Since making that first quilt, she is now certified in the field of being “bitten by the quilt bug” and quilting all the time.

Julie Foy’s 26 ½ by 26 ¼ inch wall quilt, “Butterfly Disappearing Hourglass”, was launched as part of SPL’s Disappearing Hourglass workshop on March 4, 2020 and ended in January 20022. Foy recently started quilting after retirement and, wanting to develop his skills, took the course.

There are also a few patriotic quilts, including a 57-inch by 72-inch “Quilt of Valor,” presented by John W. Weisgerber. The quilt was presented to him in September 2021 at his 1971 Class 50th Reunion by his classmates with the Nebraska Alliance Honor Guard and Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion. Weisgerber served in the USAF from June 1971 to September 1974, in the National Guard from 1974 to 1977 and reached the rank of staff sergeant.

The quilt features three old-fashioned Santas on each corner to show off his Santa years and a motorcycle for his mechanic years. Weisgerber moved to Sterling in 1977 and word for BNSF Railroad for 39 years. He is part of the Santas of Sterling/Miracle Letter program (played Santa Claus for 43 years) and is a member of the Colorado Flatlanders Car Club.

Quilt entries have been made by people of all ages. A quilt was made by participants of SPL’s weekly Chapter Chat program for children ages 6-9. Each week they read a book of chapters and then do fun activities that go along with the story. Recently the group read “The Quiltmaker’s Gift” by Jeff Brumbea, after which they had a quick lesson in quilt making and quilt block design, then tried making their own quilt squares using of triangles.

The Quilt Show will be presented at the library throughout the month of March. Patrons are invited to vote for your favorite quilt each day you visit the library, with the winner receiving the People’s Choice Award.