Local Quilters Give Back at Quilt Expo

Local quilters will kick off the New Year by sharing their quilt making skills with the public at the 3hd Biennial Giving Quilt Exhibit at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, on Feb. 7 and 8.

Sponsored by the Giving Quilt, Inc., this admission free quilt exhibit features hundreds of beautiful quilts made by local quilters that will be donated to various charitable organizations at the close of the show. Many of the quilts go to children with severe health issues while others go to soldiers, hospitals, nursing homes, hospice or similar organizations.

Besides the many quilts on display, this 2-day event will also feature several opportunities for adults and kids to participate in the art of quilt making. On Saturday and Sunday visitors may participate in the Block by Block for Quilts of Valor (QOV), a national organization that provides quilts to soldiers and veterans affected by war. Feb. 7 is National QOV Sew Day and visitors, with the help of some volunteers, may sew blocks that will be set into quilt tops to be presented to soldiers. Three quilt tops in 2 days is the goal of this worthy project sponsored by the National Quilting Association.

At the Kids Draw For Kids booth, founder Renee Hoeprich will help kids and adults draw on fabric to create blocks to go into comfort quilts for children in need. Visitors can also check out camp G.R.A.C.E. Pillowcases, sponsored by Granny Hugs of Gonzales, and try their hand at sewing pillowcases for kids whose parents are incarcerated.

On Saturday Sassi Strippers Quilt Guild will encourage visitors to stuff-a-bear to benefit children at Our Lady on the Lake Hospital and Cancer Cervices of Greater Baton Rouge.

On Sunday Sharon Hicks with Baton Rouge Quilts For Kids will lead her crew in sewing quilt tops for local children with severe health issues.

Visitors can also check out the merchants mall, vote for their favorite quilt, and purchase raffle tickets for A Day in the Park, a traditional sampler quilt pieced by friends of the Giving Quilt and quilted by Charlene Harp.

Doors at the TradeMart Building at Lamar Dixon open Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 at 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015 at noon – 4 p.m.

For more information visit the website at www.thegivingquiltinc.org.