Quilters' work to be displayed
Local quilters Julie Herres and Jan Mullarkey will do a bed turning of traditional and contemporary quilts at the New London Fair Centennial Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 6. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the quilting presentations occurring hourly beginning at 11:30 a.m. in the farmhouse.
Both women are members of several area quilting guilds. Herres operated a fabric store, Fabric Fashions, in New London and taught quilting classes independently and for Fox Valley Technical College. She taught in both New London and Manawa schools
Mullarkey came to New London to teach home economics at Washington Junior High (now Washington Center). She says that she always wanted to quilt. She spent several months making her first small quilt, a pattern of teddy bear blocks.
A multitude of quilt patterns consists of various arrangements of squares and right triangles. Over time, certain designs became standards such as the "log cabin," "flying geese," and "pinwheel." Herres points out that many patterns changed slightly as American women moved westward. Oftentimes with even a slight variation in the design, the name of the pattern changed.
Marie Webster is credited with being the first to have her quilt designs published. Her designs first appeared in Ladies Home Journal in 1911. They first were collected in a book published in 1915. Quilt patterns and their names became more uniform with a written record of their designs.
Among the quilts to be shown will be a pinwheel design quilted by Herres. She also will show an apron decorated with a scrappy star pattern. One of Mullarkey's quilts is made from squares of fabric that were exchanged among quilt guild members over a three-year period.
The New London Fair Centennial Celebration is being held on the former fairgrounds site, which is now farmland located along Hwy. 54 just east of the U.S. Hwy. 45 bypass. The public is invited to stroll the old fairgrounds, tour the fair dining hall, and enjoy a variety of activities throughout the day that depict what life was like in the early 1900's and what visitors would have seen during the New London Fair. Admission is free.
More information about the New London Fair Centennial Celebration, including a full schedule of activities, is available at www.newlondontourism.com/events/nlfair/. Information is also available by contacting the New London Area Chamber of Commerce at 920-982-5822.
Both women are members of several area quilting guilds. Herres operated a fabric store, Fabric Fashions, in New London and taught quilting classes independently and for Fox Valley Technical College. She taught in both New London and Manawa schools
Mullarkey came to New London to teach home economics at Washington Junior High (now Washington Center). She says that she always wanted to quilt. She spent several months making her first small quilt, a pattern of teddy bear blocks.
A multitude of quilt patterns consists of various arrangements of squares and right triangles. Over time, certain designs became standards such as the "log cabin," "flying geese," and "pinwheel." Herres points out that many patterns changed slightly as American women moved westward. Oftentimes with even a slight variation in the design, the name of the pattern changed.
Marie Webster is credited with being the first to have her quilt designs published. Her designs first appeared in Ladies Home Journal in 1911. They first were collected in a book published in 1915. Quilt patterns and their names became more uniform with a written record of their designs.
Among the quilts to be shown will be a pinwheel design quilted by Herres. She also will show an apron decorated with a scrappy star pattern. One of Mullarkey's quilts is made from squares of fabric that were exchanged among quilt guild members over a three-year period.
The New London Fair Centennial Celebration is being held on the former fairgrounds site, which is now farmland located along Hwy. 54 just east of the U.S. Hwy. 45 bypass. The public is invited to stroll the old fairgrounds, tour the fair dining hall, and enjoy a variety of activities throughout the day that depict what life was like in the early 1900's and what visitors would have seen during the New London Fair. Admission is free.
More information about the New London Fair Centennial Celebration, including a full schedule of activities, is available at www.newlondontourism.com/events/nlfair/. Information is also available by contacting the New London Area Chamber of Commerce at 920-982-5822.
More from Community News
- Winchester ready to launch summer programs
- Strawberry Sam and Sally winners sought
- Book group meeting in Scandinavia
- Hospice seeks pet therapy volunteers
- Student art on display at Waupaca High School
- Senior Recognition Ceremony at WHS
- Friends of lakes group meets at Holly Center
- Lioness blood drive May 21
- Salon celebrates anniversary with street dance
- City hires new economic development director
