Located throughout Sisters No tickets required • No cost to attend
9 a.m. Start of 50th Anniversary Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show “Golden Memories”
Over 1,000 quilts on display throughout the town of Sisters Golden Memories Walk
As you stroll through the streets of Sisters on this milestone Quilt Show Day, take a moment to experience a self-guided journey through the heart and history of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. Look for the gold “50” markers around town to locate iconic Quilt Show moments. Take your time. Snap a photo. Share a memory. This is your invitation to step into the story — and carry it forward.
4 p.m. End of Quilt Show Day
Live-feed raffle of the 2025 SOQS Raffle Quilt at the SOQS Office: 220 S. Ash St.
VIRTUAL SHOW-DAY ACTIVITIES ON FACEBOOK LIVE:
7:30 a.m. Welcome to SOQS: Quilt Hanging at Stitchin’ Post
Throughout the Day:
Special Exhibits • Quilts on Display Quilt Block Challenge • WISH Cards
Teacher’s Pavilion • Raffle Quilt
For the most up-to-date information, follow us:
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show
SistersOutdoorQuiltShow
For additional information, or if you miss something, visit www.soqs.org.
ADDITIONAL
HAPPENINGS DURING QUILT SHOW WEEK:
Quilter’s Affair: Classes held at Sisters High School Monday-Friday leading up to Quilt Show Day. Brought to you by Stitchin’ Post. www.stitchinpost.com
“A Town Covered in Quilts” Friday, July 11, 6:30–8 p.m. Fundraiser at Sisters High School Tickets at www.soqs.org.
Sunday, July 13 • Save It For Sunday Quilts on display at FivePine Lodge.
Celebrating
“Golden
Memories”
Welcome to the 50th Anniversary of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show! Whether this is your first visit or your 50th, we’re so glad you’re here to celebrate this incredible milestone with us.
Fifty years ago, Jean Wells hung a few quilts outside her little shop — and with that simple act, a beautiful tradition began. Today, over 1,000 quilts line the streets of Sisters, lovingly stitched by makers from around the world and joyfully shared in the open air. This is more than a quilt show — it’s a living gallery, a reunion of kindred spirits, and a tribute to the artistry, generosity, and community that have shaped us over five decades.
Our 2025 theme, “Golden Memories,” invites us all to reflect on the moments that have brought us here — the friendships formed, the quilts that took our breath away, the early mornings, and the joyful tears. You’ll find traces of these golden memories throughout the day: in the quilts, the stories, the laughter, and maybe even in a quiet moment of awe as you turn a corner
and see something unforgettable.
On behalf of our Board of Directors and the entire Quilt Show team, I want to thank each and every one of you — the quilters, volunteers, visitors, sponsors, and supporters — who make this show what it is. And a heartfelt shout-out to the Sisters community, who open their arms (and walls!) each year with unwavering support and hospitality. This town is the soul of our show, and its spirit shines through in every detail.
We hope you’ll take time to explore everything this special anniversary has to offer — from the incredible quilt displays and special exhibits, to our community events, The Golden Memories Walk, and of course, the people who make it all possible. Every stitch in this show carries a memory, and every visitor adds a new one to the story.
Thank you for being part of our journey — and for helping us carry this legacy forward, one quilt at a time.
Enjoy every moment.
— Dawn Boyd
A Message from SOQS Executive Director Dawn Boyd:
“MOUNTAIN MEADOW” BY KATHY DEGGENDORFER
Community Thank Yous
ALL SPONSORS
Sisters Park & Recreation District
Sisters Astronomy Club
City of Sisters
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office
Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District
Oregon Department of Transportation
St. Charles Health Care
Martin Cascade LLC
Sisters Rotary Club
Earthwood Timberframe Homes
Sisters Kiwanis
The Nugget Newspaper
Stitchin’ Post
The Roundhouse Foundation
Explore Sisters
Sisters Business Association
Citizens4Community
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
Leslie Cutler, Stellar Realty Northwest
Suzanne Carvlin, Sotheby’s Cascade Hasson
Maddie Fischer,
Sotheby’s Cascade Hasson
Joanna Cooley, Sotheby’s Cascade Hasson
Dru Pade, Fathom Realty
Ben Kelso, First American Title
Friends & Vine
The Wheatfield Shop
The Gallimaufry
Oliver Lemon’s
The Corndog Company of Central Oregon
Paulina Springs Books
Bernina
VOLUNTEERS
Quilting in the Willamette Valley – QUILT SHOW –
November 7 & 8, 2025 • 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Willamette Heritage Center • Salem, OR One Day $10, Two Days $15 • FREE PARKING! Quilt Raffle • Vendors • Prize Drawings Vintage Linens • Re-Stash Boutique • More
Local traffic on Quilt Show Day
Businesses are accessible in Three Wind Shopping Center on the west end of Sisters. Bi-Mart, Takoda’s Restaurant, and other businesses can all be accessed from Hwy 20 eastbound. Westbound traffic can access these businesses via Hood Avenue.
Traffic Flow
Cascade Avenue will be open to east-west traffic on Quilt Show Day. All north-south cross streets will also be open. Please be mindful of pedestrians when driving through town.
The Quilt Show will be creating a car-free corridor on Hood Avenue for all local residents and visitors to explore and enjoy all through the day. Hood Avenue will be closed from Larch Street on the east, to Pine Street on the west side of Hood Avenue.
Quilts will be hung on Main Avenue, Cascade Avenue, and Hood Avenue, and all cross streets from Oak Street through Larch Street.
Pedestrian Crossing: We encourage pedestrians to cross Cascade Avenue at Pine Street, Elm Street, and Fir Street where deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office will be helping at these crossing points.
Parking and Shuttle Information
Parking is available on all city streets in the business district and residential areas in Sisters. Please be considerate of local residents and DO NOT park in or block private driveways or alleyways. Where parking spaces are unmarked, we encourage head-in parking to accommodate more cars. Please do not park on the highway. It is unsafe and there is plenty of parking in downtown Sisters. Parking and Shuttle Service are available at the Sisters High School Parking Lot. Shuttle Vans are provided in partnership with the Sisters Park & Recreation District, and driven by Sisters Astronomy Club (tips are welcome). Shuttle services will run starting at 9 a.m. with the final pick ups at 3:30 p.m.
Accessible parking is available at all designated accessible parking spaces throughout town. There is also accessible parking on the west side of Locust Street in the lots between the Sisters School District administration building and Sisters City Hall.
Special exhibits honor 50 years of quilting
By Sue Stafford Correspondent
This year’s Quilt Show Day features a remarkable series of special exhibits celebrating the legacy of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and its founder, Jean Wells.
Step back in time with a display of the original family quilts that were proudly hung at the very first show in 1975 (see related story, page 8). Explore a curated collection of Jean’s early sampler quilts, showcasing her evolving artistry and foundational techniques. A grouping of “celebration quilts” created by Jean and fellow quilters highlights key milestones in the Quilt Show’s history, honoring the growth and creativity of the past five decades.
Finally, don’t miss Jean Wells: A Retrospective — a powerful exhibit chronicling 50 years of quiltmaking that reflects her passion, innovation, and impact on the quilting world.
Jean Wells’ legacy is extraordinary. A teacher at heart, she has influenced countless fabric artists through her instruction.
She grows emotional when reflecting on the feedback she has received from people who have taken her classes.
“I have stacks of cards and notes from people who appreciate what I have done for them,” she said. “A lot of that comes from the classroom.”
• Jean’s 50 Years on the grassy area next to Hood Avenue Art — 357 W. Hood Ave.
• Jean’s Celebration Quilts behind the Western Title Building at 330 W. Hood Ave.
• Jean’s Samplers at Western Title and Beacham’s Clock Co. at 300 W. Hood Ave.
• Jean’s original Quilt Show Quilts at the SOQS offices at the Three Creeks Building (corner of Hood Avenue and Ash Street).
vision created a cultural phenomenon built around education and inspiration. That vision will be celebrated in a series of special exhibits this year.
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
Jean Wells Keenan’s
Contest features locally designed fabric
By Katy Yoder Correspondent
This year’s poster, Sisters Mountain Meadow, painted by Kathy Deggendorfer, is a perfect reflection of Sisters Country landscape and the celebration of Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show’s 50th anniversary. Deggendorfer took care to create an image that signifies the variation and beauty of Central Oregon from ponderosa pine forests to sagebrush deserts. FreeSpirit Fabrics transformed Deggendorfer’s image into textiles with an array of vibrant colors and textures that have inspired quilters in this year’s Quilt Block contest.
“The poster image represents five decades of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show with the five ponderosas. It’s a homage to the 50 years the Quilt Show has been in existence and our unique sense of place. The premise for the painting is that you’re looking at it from the east where the sun rises, then right through to the future where the sun sets behind the mountains. It’s a tapestry of time,” said Deggendorfer in her studio at Pine Meadow Ranch.
Quilt Block contestants got six fabric blocks gleaned from the 2025 poster image to create a 9.5-inch square block. Valerie Fercho-Tillery, who has been coordinating the contest for the last eight years, added that contestants are also allowed to choose one solid fabric of their own in the final square block. She said that around 100 packets are mailed out to contestants each year. The contest began
in 1981. It’s helped support the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show as a fundraiser while offering quilters a challenge that stretches and inspires them to create unique designs from a common theme.
Long-time participant Angie Richcreek says when she decided to enter the contest over ten years ago, she was looking for something new and interesting to tackle. This year, she’s inspired by the 50th anniversary and plans to incorporate it into her block.
2025 Sisters
Quilt Show Poster
“It’s fun to get fabrics you’ve never seen and then figure out what to do with them in a 9.5-inch block. I love Kathy Deggendorfer as an artist. Her fabric line is amazing. The 50th anniversary year is a biggie. Who knows if I’ll be here for the 75th. I love seeing all the blocks at the show. The creativity and ideas are all over the map. Some are truly works of art. They’re from all over the world,” said Richcreek from her home in Newport, Oregon.
Deggendorfer gives big kudos to FreeSpirit Fabrics for their exemplary work creating stand-alone fabrics from the poster. Taking part in collaborations is something she loves, especially when it creates something new and surprising. She also enjoys participating in
Artist Kathy Deggendorfer with fabrics created by Free Spirit Fabrics from her artwork.
fundraisers for the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. Being able to work with electronic methods of creating fabric from an image has made Deggendorfer’s participation both rewarding and easier. She’s glad the time-consuming methods of screen printing for a project like the Quilt Block Contest
fabrics has been replaced with scanning the poster image then extracting standalone fabrics.
“The whole process worked great and hopefully the fabric will really sell and will be an additional income stream for the Quilt Show. I loved creating the poster image and seeing it transform
into a whole palette of color and images,” said Deggendorfer. “Then we throw the designs out to the world and see what comes back. People are so amazing and so skilled. It’s just phenomenal to me. It’s like having a great conversation where somebody says something and it sparks another idea… it’s truly a physical manifestation of a good conversation.”
Deggendorfer enjoys walking around on quilt day listening to people as they stroll through the quilt exhibits. As they’re admiring the quilts she hears snippets of their conversations. She feels an immense sense of pride for the town of Sisters and its ability to create events that bring people together around art and culture. She’s spoken to many new residents who moved to the area because of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and the access available to fantastic textiles and instructors. After 50 years, the organization has connected guests and locals to the land, the community, and all those who create art.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Outdoor
The joy of quilting
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
I am not a quilter. I can sew a button on a shirt and that’s about it. But I’ve been privileged to learn a fair bit about the art, thanks to covering the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show for The Nugget Newspaper for three decades.
You already know this — but it’s worth noting again and again: The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is something special. It’s not an “industry” event — it’s a grassroots labor of love that grew out of one woman’s craft and entrepreneurial spirit. The festival of color spontaneously created by Jean Wells Keenan in 1975 has touched thousands upon thousands of lives, providing inspiration to generations of quilters and a significant economic boon to Jean’s hometown.
My own artistic passion lies in music, and I was privileged to be part of the founding of the Sisters Folk Festival in 1995, which has an origin story similar to — and in some ways was inspired by — the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. I know how it feels to experience art in an intimate
and personal way, meeting and learning from some of the best in the field, being inspired in my own creations.
I know the frisson of artistic joy when I see it — and that’s what the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show creates above all other things. It’s an emotion continually referenced in interviews with quilters and volunteers — they feel the joy and they want to share it.
When my older sister was dying of pancreatic cancer in 2007, she decided to make a long-deferred pilgrimage to the Quilt Show. She knew she wouldn’t get another chance, so she took it. It wasn’t easy on her, and we only made it through about half of town before she had to go back to our place and rest. But while she was in town, surrounded by the color and creativity she so prized, she felt joy. It’s a precious memory to me.
Many, many families have precious memories built around the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. Some make a regular pilgrimage here; some moved to Sisters because of their experience. Some enter their quilts for display, some volunteer to hang and take
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Founder Jean Wells has been sharing her passion for quilting for 50 years.
down quilts, some take on the myriad tasks that no one sees that make this complex operation run. For all of them, the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is a central, deeply meaningful
part of their lives. For any event to carry on for 50 years is a remarkable achievement. The half-century of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is a testament to
the commitment of quilters, community members, and business owners in Sisters and beyond. It is, above all a testament to the power of creativity — an ode to joy.
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
Fundraising event recalls half century of Quilt Show
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
For 50 years, Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS) has been more than just an event — it’s been a living celebration of creativity, community, and tradition. And they will celebrate that beloved tradition in “A Town Covered in Quilts,” presented by Betty Gientke and SOQS. The fundraising event is set for Friday, July 11, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) at Sisters High School, 1700 W. McKinney Butte Rd.
The event honors an incredible 50-year journey, inviting participants to be part of a story woven from the dreams of quilters, the hands of volunteers, and the hearts of visitors from all over the world.
The event will include a live auction featuring exclusive, handcrafted quilts inspired by Jean Wells and created by Quilter’s Affair instructors.
One of those instructors is Laura Wasilowski.
“There was a call for the fundraiser, and I agreed readily, because I admire Jean a lot,” she said.
Wasilowski learned to quilt through a 4-H progam in Colorado, and has been a passionate quilter ever since. Asked to teach at Quilter’s Affair years ago, she has taught many times and has known Jean Wells for many years.
Her quilt, which will be available for purchase through the auction, directly represents her relationship with Quilt Show founder, Jean Wells.
“I’ve been to her house several times for dinners when they have the teachers over,” she said.
She was struck by a set of black-and-white
ceramic vases at the center of Jean’s table.
“They’re really beautiful, and Jean arranges flowers in them, and places them on the table,” she said.
Thus, her quilt was inspired, titled “Jean’s Table.”
For her part, Jean is deeply moved by the outpouring of celebration for the event she created out of humble beginnings — a small-town quilt display that became the largest outdoor quilt show in the world.
“I’m very honored that people would take the time to (create auction quilts) when they’re already here to teach,” she said.
The 50th-anniversary celebration event includes a sit-down interview and live Q&A with Jean and her daughter Valori Wells, who literally grew up with the Quilt Show. Guests will enjoy an evening of inspiration, a presentation that highlights the people, stories, and milestones that have shaped SOQS into what it is today.
By attending, participants help preserve the heritage of quilting and ensuring that the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show continues to flourish for another 50 years — touching lives, inspiring creativity, and bringing joy to all who experience it.
This is a ticketed event that is now sold out.
“Jean’s Table” by Laura Wasilowski.
Volunteers are key to grassroots festival
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
From the days when a few dozen quilts adorned downtown Sisters businesses to today’s town-encompassing, internationally recognized festival, a dedicated cadre of volunteers has been the quiet force that makes the magic happen.
It’s not just the hanging of the quilts — dozens of yearround administrative tasks go into creating a successful Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. In the run-up to the show, it takes a team of volunteers to take in all of the hundreds of quilts registered for the show, and make sure they all end up in the right spot.
Ginn Staines has been volunteering with the quilt show since the 1970s, when she was an employee of Stitchin’ Post.
In the early days, there was no formal volunteer infrastructure.
“All of us just got our friends and family to come and help,” she recalled. “It was so grassroots.”
Staines and her colleagues went out to seek sponsorship donations from local businesses, the primary means of
financing the festival, which has always been a free, nonticketed event. Other than that, most of the work went into that one second Saturday in July, the day of the Quilt Show.
For Staines, a watershed moment came in 1981, when her colleague Cindy Summerfield called her from Stitchin’ Post on Sunday.
“I got a call from Cindy saying, ‘Holy cow — I need your help! We are so busy!’” Staines recalled.
That was because people were staying over from Quilt Show day.
“They wanted more,” she said.
From there, the SOQS grew markedly in scale.
Quilter’s Affair and special events made the program more than a one-day event. Volunteer needs grew along with the show.
Staines continues to serve — mostly in quilt sorting in the run-up to the big day. What motivates her, now in her fifth decade of volunteering?
“Well, Jean,” she said, referring to Quilt Show and Stitchin’ Post founder Jean Wells Keenan. “I’d do
anything for her.”
Beyond that personal connection, though, she loves the work.
“I love the camaraderie, I love the creativity, I love quilts,” she said. “It gives me a lot of joy. I just am taken with the whole process — the mechanics of it are amazing to me. And, I like having a say in where things go, too.”
SOQS has come a long way from the days when a handful of friends and family could manage all the volunteer tasks. The show now has a volunteer coordinator.
Tracy Craig’s 17-year-old daughter volunteered for the quilt show and encouraged her mom to jump in.
“We ended up hanging quilts and really enjoyed ourselves,” she said.
Craig says she’s not the most outgoing person, but soon she found herself in a leadership role, mobilizing groups of volunteers for a wide range of tasks. Many
civic organizations and businesses in Sisters put together groups of volunteers, and Craig is coordinating their efforts.
The work has given Craig an up-close view of the exceptional community spirit of Sisters.
Not all the volunteers call Sisters their home town. Many folks make an annual pilgrimage to the Quilt Show,
BY
and make volunteering a part of their enjoyment of the experience. And more are always welcome.
“We always need more volunteers,” Craig said. “It’s such a huge event. I didn’t realize how huge it is. There are so many layers to the Quilt Show.”
If you are interested in volunteering, visit www.soqs.org/ volunteer.
PHOTO
JERRY BALDOCK
Quilt Show marks its golden anniversary
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
Jean Wells was a young single mother running a small quilt shop in Sisters in the summer of 1975. She had been teaching junior high school home economics, and had expanded her teaching to include adults and quilts.
“When I opened the store, it was because I needed a classroom,” she recalled.
That was May, 1975. In June, fellow shopkeeper Cathi Howell approached her about hanging up some quilts for a summer festival.
“I went to Mom’s house and just loaded up the car with family quilts,” she recalled.
The display garnered some attention, and it made for a fun summer day in a tiny town.
“Then I thought, ‘well, maybe I should do it again,’” Wells said.
In that second year, there were 50 quilts on display on downtown Sisters storefronts — and a major event was on a roll.
That roll has continued for 50 years.
“It was sharing what you liked to do,” Wells said, “about being able to share without judging.”
That ethos continues to this day, as the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show has become a major Central Oregon event, drawing thousands of people to the region at the beginning of July for
classes and events, with volunteers transforming Sisters with over 1,000 quilts on display on the morning of the second Saturday in July.
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Executive Director Dawn Boyd affirmed the foundational ethos of the show.
“It’s not juried, so we celebrate every level of quilter,” she said.
For long-time Quilt Show participants, the anniversary is very meaningful.
“It’s emotional,” said Colleen Blackwood, who hung quilts in the show’s earliest years, and continues to support the show to this day.
She’s formed a long-term friendship with Jean.
“She can’t get rid of me, is what it comes down to,” she quipped.
Blackwood is an instructor, whose quilts are on display in the Teachers’ Pavilion.
The show has a tremendous amount of impact. For many downtown Sisters merchants, the week of SOQS makes their summer. And an astonishing number of people have moved to Central Oregon because they were drawn by the Quilt Show and the creative culture that has been built around it.
Wells recalls teaching a class of 20 people — 10 of whom subsequently moved to Sisters.
Teaching has been a major aspect of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show from near its inception.
Lawry Thorn was an early employee at Jean’s shop, Stitchin’ Post, and she helped get what became known as Quilter’s Affair underway back in 1979.
Initially, there was just a handful of small classes.
“I think the next year we used the elementary school, and had maybe three classes,” she recalled.
The event grew organically.
“We took care of this summer, and then planned for the next — OK we need to add something,” she recalled.
Thorn recalls handing out name tags and knowing everybody attending the program. Now, some 1,200 people attend the week-long affair. Yet Thorn is still handing out name tags and answering questions — an example of the way SOQS has maintained its intimate, neighbors feel even as it has grown into an international event.
“Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, I teach classes, “Thorn said. I teach mystery classes. That means they don’t know what they’re going to do.” Her goal is to have students get a quilt done in a day.
Valori Wells literally grew up with the Quilt Show. Now responsible for operating the Stitchin’ Post and a renowned fabric designer, her earliest memories revolve around the Quilt Show. She recalls that she was 6 years old, “the
PHOTO PROVIDED
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Founder/Board Member Jean Wells.
year my mom and her friends made sheet cakes.”
They needed a place to display their goods — so they used Valori’s bed for a display.
“My bed, covered in sheet cakes, was downtown,” she said.
Valori says that Quilt Show folklore offers different stories about whether she was mad or excited to have her bed in the middle of town — but she did stay by it all day.
In the early days of the Quilt Show, cattle and logging trucks still rolled through the town decorated in quilts.
“I wondered what those people thought when they drove through town,” she said.
Valori is proud that SOQS has always remained a show committed to educating and inspiring fabric artists.
“To me, the perspective that’s beautiful is that it still retains those core values,” she said. “That, to me, makes us one-of-a-kind.”
In 2003, SOQS became a nonprofit, under the guidance of volunteer-turned executive director Ann Richardson.
“Ann really developed the whole nonprofit thing,” Wells said. “We had to learn how to do it. We were clueless. But it was a major turning point for the show.”
Boyd notes that Wells’ business savvy has made a mark on the evolution of SOQS.
“You find people who are really good at the creative side, and you find people who are really good at the business side,” she reflected. “She’s
good at both. I’ve never heard her say, ‘This is the way we’ve always done it.’ And that’s true with the business and that’s true with her quilting. And that’s rare.”
Through the massive growth of the show, organizers — almost all volunteers — have avoided commercialization and emphasized maintaining a hometown feel.
“One of the things we have heard time and time again is how welcoming everybody is,” Wells said.
“The growth has been so organic,” Boyd said.
That’s an aspect that is important to long-time participants like Blackwood.
“I’m 100 percent Oregonian, and I celebrate everything about the Quilt Show, because it’s been done by our own two hands, and with a full heart,” she said. “I don’t think it gets any better than that.”
Valori is happy to be celebrating 50 years of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show — but her eye is not on the rearview mirror.
“This is a celebration,” she said. “And we’re moving on to the next year — the next decade.”
The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is not ticketed and is thus free to the public — but Boyd notes that it is not free to produce. SOQS welcomes business sponsorship and community grants, and has an active cadre of “Friends of the Show” donors. Information on supporting SOQS may be found at www.soqs.org/donations.
Kids Activities Tent sparks creativity
The Kids Activity Tent, located on the lawn at Town Square (between Hood and Cascade avenues), is a hub of creativity where young children can get introduced to cutting fabric and sewing — and more.
The tent features material, simple sewing machines, and glue, all set up for making fabric postcards. The spot is shaded and there are water and snacks available, all of which help make it a great spot to be creative with your kiddo.
This year, the activities center is bigger and better than ever, according to Jennifer Boyd, who manages the program.
“This year, we are doing a little minipartnership with St. Charles [Health System],” Boyd said.
The partnership provides supplies that will enable the kids to enjoy facepainting, bubbles, and other creative fun — along with the tradition of making fabric postcards.
Katie Allen, a kindergarten teacher, loves helping out at the Kids Activities Tent.
“I really think it gets kids excited about quilts — at their own level,” she said. “Give them an opportunity for success, and build from there.”
Passing along the joy
and tradition of quilting is important to both women, who have fond memories of quilting with their grandmothers.
“When I was eight or nine, I went to quilt camp and learned to make a quilt in a week,” Boyd said.
That was a loving connection with her maternal grandmother, and she sees her work as fostering the same kind of connection.
She strives to “make it fun for them — like it was for me.”
PHOTOS PROVIDED
141 W. Main Ave., Sisters Open Tues – Sat, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sunday & Monday Quilts • Linens • Vintage Sculptures
Jean Wells’ inspiration board is a visual journal filled with photos, fabric swatches, sketches, and natural elements from the Central Oregon landscape. It’s where she explores color, texture, and design — gathering the ideas and emotions that shape her intuitive, colorful quilts that express her curiosity.
SNOCAP.HRPOS.HEARTLAND.US
1 Teacher’s Pavilion: presented by Stitchin’ Post — located in Village Green Park; a collection of quilts created by the instructors of Quilter’s Affair. This is a do-notmiss exhibit, and it includes a Stitchin’ Post pop-up shop featuring patterns and products of the Pavilion quilts.
2 Wish Fabric Postcards: in partnership with Andover Fabrics and presented by Wildflower Studios, Sisters Gallery & Frame, Bend Picture Framing, Eastlake Framing, and High Desert Frameworks! — located at Village Green Park; an annual fundraiser for the SOQS Arts Scholarship for Sisters High School students and the production of the freeto-attend Quilt Show. Fabric postcards, donated from across the country, are sold to raise funds. Custom framing and/or matting is donated by multiple Central Oregon Framing and Art Studios.
3 Stitchin’ Post Employee Challenge Quilts: presented by Sno Cap Sisters and located at Stitchin’ Post; each year, the employees of Stitchin’ Post choose a theme to interpret in each of their own styles. This year they celebrate the tradition of the Log Cabin block in their own interpretation. View all of their quilts hung on the outside of Stitchin’ Post on Oak Street.
4 KONA Color of the Year — 2025 “Nocturne”: presented by Blue Burro Imports, located at Stitchin’ Post; come see fresh, inspired designs utilizing the Robert Kaufman KONA Color of the Year, Nocturne. Five quilts will be on display at the front of Stitchin’ Post.
5 SOQS Celebration Quilts: presented by Explore Sisters, located on the backside of Beacham’s Clock Shop; celebrating 50 years of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, these quilts celebrate iconic moments and anniversary celebrations throughout the Quilt Show’s history. While some of these quilts have been made by Jean Wells, some have been gifted to Jean on special occasions.
6 Quilt Block Contest 2025: presented by FreeSpirit Fabrics, located on the lawn behind Stitchin’ Post, West Hood Avenue and Oak Street. Thanks to the generous support of Kathy Deggendorfer and FreeSpirit Fabrics, our annual Quilt Block Contest challenges quilters to create a block using Kathy’s fabric line, “Sisters Mountain Meadow.” Come see the variety of designs and talent exhibited with over 68 entries, including our winning block and honorable mentions.
7 SOQS 2025 Raffle Quilt –SistersScape Reimagined: presented by Island Batik, located on the lawn behind Stitchin’ Post; to celebrate the 50th Anniversary, the original “Sisters Scape” pattern was reimagined to feature iconic elements like the Three Sisters mountains, wildflowers, ponderosa pines, and fish-filled Whychus Creek. The quilt was skillfully pieced, assembled, and finished with extraordinary machine quilting, resulting in a stunning collaborative masterpiece. Tickets available – the winner will be drawn at the booth at 4 p.m. on Quilt Show Day.
8 SOQS Information and Hospitality Booth: presented by Beacham’s Clock Company, located on the lawn behind Stitchin’ Post; booth offers a place of respite, and an information table with host to answer your questions about Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, location of quilts, and more!
9 Jean’s Sampler Quilts: presented by The Hen’s Tooth, located at Western Title and Beacham’s Clock Shop on West Hood Avenue; this special exhibit features a rare look at Jean Wells’ early sampler quilts — where her journey began. These pieces reflect the foundational techniques, color play, and design curiosity that would later define her groundbreaking style. A tribute to humble beginnings and timeless craftsmanship.
10 Storytellers Book 2025 – Golden Memories Storybook; Quilts for sale by various artists: presented by and located in the courtyard of The Open Door restaurant and Rickard’s Gallery; various Oregon quilters have created a larger–than-life storybook with quilted pages, each one telling a unique story. These quilts are available for purchase, and proceeds support the production of Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.
11 Central Oregon SAQA –Golden Memories: presented by Sisters Coffee and located in the Open Door Courtyard; Central Oregon SAQA challenged themselves to create an art quilt using their favorite techniques or styles to celebrate not only the SOQS 50th Anniversary but also the joy of creating art through fabric. Focusing on showcasing what we have learned through varied classes in fabric art, many of them taught at Stitchin’ Post or Quilter’s Affair, our Golden Memories does not limit our members to any one technique or design.
12 Jean Wells 50 Years of Quilting: presented by Bedouin, located at courtyard area of 351 W. Hood Ave.; encapsulating five decades of artistry and innovation with this special exhibit honoring Jean‘s work. Featuring a curated collection of Jean’s quilts from past to present, this retrospective showcases her evolution as a quilter, teacher, and visionary who helped shape the quilting community in Sisters and beyond.
13 Special Showcase – Alex Anderson: presented by Makin’ it Local, located at the Sisters Habitat for Humanity Offices, corner of Hood Avenue and Ash Street; since embracing “the quilt life” more than four decades ago, 2008 Silver Star awardwinner Alex Anderson has worn many hats. Her 30 books have sold over 1,000,000 copies, along with numerous fabric lines. She is currently a co-founder of Quilters Select (Division of RNK distributing), and The Quilt Show, www.thequiltshow.com. Most of all, however, Alex is a teacher, and her mission remains to educate and encourage both new and experienced quilters, ensuring our beloved tradition passes seamlessly to succeeding generations.
2025 Special Exhibits
14 The 1975 First Show Original Quilts – Jean Wells and June Jaeger: presented by Anvil Sewing and Bernina, and located at the SOQS Office, corner of Hood Ave & Ash Street; this special exhibit features the original quilts made by Jean Wells’ grandmothers — the very pieces that hung on the firstever Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show day in 1975. These treasured heirlooms represent the roots of the show, carrying with them a legacy of family, craft, and inspiration. Stitched with love, tradition, and a pioneering spirit, they mark the humble beginnings of what would become the world’s largest outdoor quilt show.
HIGHWAY
20 / 126 WEST: Metolius Recreation Area, Camp Sherman, Black Butte Ranch, Suttle Lake, Hoodoo, Portland, Eugene, Salem, Albany
HWY 242 WEST: McKenzie Pass To Outlaw Station and Three Wind shopping centers
15 Maywood Makers — Sampler Quilts: presented by Maywood Fabrics, located at the Volunteers VIP Tent, Ash Street and Hood Avenue; samplers showcase the work of the annual “Maywood Makers.” Individual blocks were created by each maker and assembled to celebrate year of mentorship, collaboration, and learning through Maywood Studios.
16 U.S. National Tree Skirt — Gone to Pieces Quilt Guild: presented by Les Schwab/Taylor Tire, located in the parking lot of U.S. Bank, Hood Avenue; a 14-foot tree skirt created for the 2018 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, cut from the Willamette National Forest in Sweet Home. Honoring the Oregon Trail, Oregonians, and unique areas of the state, quilted scenes are set in a quilted wagon wheel.
17 East of the Cascades — Golden Anniversary Log Cabin: presented by Best Western Ponderosa Lodge, located at The Hen’s Tooth, Hood Avenue; this special exhibit by the East of the Cascades Quilt Guild honors the 50th anniversary of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show with a cohesive and meaningful collection. Each quilt features the traditional log cabin block pattern — a symbol of home and community — and incorporates the color goldenrod to mark the golden anniversary. Together, these pieces reflect the rich heritage and enduring spirit of SOQS.
18 Crook County Quilt Guild – Celebrating Golden Memories: presented by Alpaca by Design, located in the Courtyard of The Hen’s Tooth and Flying Horse Gallery; as long-time members of various Central Oregon quilt guilds, it has been an honor and a pleasure spending time with Jean Wells over many days and topics. We’ve proven we are proud to attend classes in Sisters, but the truth is we’ve traveled across the country to attend Jean’s classes, no matter how far we had to go. Thank you, Jean, for making our time with your staff and you so special.
19 Honor Flight Quilts Info Booth: presented by Will-NBee’z Quilt and Coffee Shoppe, located at Hood Avenue and Elm Street; learn about two wonderful programs that support our Veterans with quilts to honor their service.
20 Best of QuiltCon 2025: presented by Gypsy Wind Clothing, located at Bedouin and Wildflower Studio on Hood Avenue; the Best of QuiltCon traveling exhibit showcases awardwinning and standout quilts from the annual QuiltCon show, presented by the Modern Quilt Guild. Featuring bold designs, innovative techniques, and fresh perspectives, these quilts represent the forefront of modern quilting. From graphic patterns to powerful messages, each piece highlights the creativity and craftsmanship of today’s most talented modern quilters. This curated collection offers a dynamic glimpse into the evolving art of quilting across the globe.
PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK
21 Kids Activity Center: presented by St. Charles Foundation, located at the east side of 178 S. Elm St.; the Kids Activity Center is a hands-on creative space where young makers can explore the fun of quilting and crafts! Kids can design their own fabric postcards to take home, color quilt block designs, play with sidewalk chalk, blow bubbles, and more. It’s the perfect spot for families to take a break and let imaginations run wild. All ages welcome — creativity encouraged!
22 Next Generation: presented by The Lodge Retirement Community, located on the east side of 178 S. Elm St.; Celebrating all quilters under the age of 18, our Next Generation of quilters vary in age and skill. We love to celebrate their creativity and artistry as they share their quilts with our visitors.
23 Central Oregon Modern Quilt Guild — Log Cabin with a Touch of Modern: presented by Rescued Living, located at the Habitat Thrift Store; this exhibit celebrates the timeless log cabin block with a creative twist. Each quilt includes at least one traditional log cabin block, built from the center out — no Courthouse Steps here! A red center features in at least one block, symbolizing the hearth of the home and paying tribute to Freddy Moran’s mantra: “Red is a neutral.” While rooted in tradition, these quilts are free to be playful, imperfect, and wonky — bringing fresh life to a beloved classic.
24 Mt. Bachelor Quilters’ Guild — Sisters, Oregon est. 1946: presented by Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty, and located at The Gallery Restaurant west wall at Barclay Park; a unique collection of quilts presented as posters, each featuring a banner reading “Sisters Oregon est. 1946.” These artworks showcase scenes from Sisters community events, local landscapes, and rural life, celebrating the spirit and history of the area.
25 SOQS Information Booth and Lost & Found: presented by Cynthia’s of Bend, located at Barclay Park; this booth offers information table and hosts to answer your questions about Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, location of quilts, and how to become a Friend of the Show. It’s also Lost & Found for the day of the Show.
26 High Desert Quilt Guild — Celebrating 50 Years with Pumpkin Gold: presented by Spoons, located at Sisters Feed; this collection honors 50 years of creativity with quilts featuring a vibrant pumpkin gold fabric as a unifying element. Each quilt includes at least 5% of this rich, warm hue, symbolizing celebration and connection within the guild’s artistic tradition.
27 Mountain Meadow Quilters’ Guild – Log Cabin Traditional and Modern: presented by Sisters Bakery, located at the Sisters Visitors Center, 291 E. Main Ave.; each quilt in this exhibit includes at least one log cabin block, presented through vibrant and creative interpretations. From traditional to modern styles, these quilts showcase the versatility and enduring charm of the log cabin design expressed in a rich palette of colors.
28 Two Rivers, Three Sisters: presented by C&T Publishing, located inside of Sisters City Hall. This permanent exhibit, created in 2012, was a joint project of many fiber artists and the National Forest Foundation to raise awareness and funds for the restoration efforts on the Metolius River and Whychus Creek. The 40-foot long, 17-panel quilt depicts the forest and rivers surrounding Sisters. (City Hall will be open Monday through Friday during Quilt Show week.)
29 Showcase Quilter inside FivePine Lodge – Mari Wymore: presented by The Quilt Basket and located inside FivePine Lodge; Mari has quilted in Central Oregon since 1965, evolving from cotton piecing to a passion for wool appliqué. She repurposes wool from thrift finds and friends, creating vibrant quilts rich in texture and detail. Combining traditional patterns with embroidery and vintage buttons, Mari’s work celebrates creativity and the joy of transforming reclaimed materials into art.
30 SOQS Quilt Walk: presented by The Roundhouse Foundation; be sure to stroll throughout the Quilt Show business sponsors of Sisters and Central Oregon throughout the month of July. Each sponsor business will be showing off a sponsor quilt created by an Oregon quilter. Maps are available throughout businesses in Sisters.
31 Save it for Sunday! –Karen Stone: presented by FivePine Lodge, located at the FivePine campus. On Sunday, July 13, walk through the pine trees on the campus of FivePine Lodge and view quilts created by quilter and designer Karen Stone. Karen has been quilting since 1986, blending innovation with tradition in her award-winning work. Her quilts, including the acclaimed Clam Session and Indian Orange Peel, have been featured in prestigious exhibitions worldwide. A gifted teacher and designer, Karen continues to inspire through her art and stories. Join us for Save it for Sunday to explore her vibrant world of color and creativity, and view her pieces up close. Come enjoy viewing Karen’s quilts and join her lecture at FivePine Conference Center. Lecture tickets are available at www.soqs.org. Quilts will be on view to the public 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Exhibit showcases wool appliqué
Mari Wymore took up quilting in her youth.
“I’ve been quilting probably since the late ’60s,” she recalled.
Her husband’s grandmother from Holland made quilts for children in Africa, and Wymore
found herself inspired.
“All she had was a treadle sewing machine,” she said.
Over decades in the art, Mari has developed her own signature style of wool appliqué.
“I started quilting using cotton and just piecing,” she
recalled. “Then I became interested in appliqué. It took five different women at varying times to try to teach me how to do needle turn appliqué. I just could not get it until finally the fifth person and I just clicked and I have never stopped appliquéing.”
Her work will be showcased at FivePine Lodge & Conference Center (1021 Desperado Trail) all through Quilt Week, July 6–13. She will showcase 10 quilts in her signature style.
“They’re varying degrees of difficulty,” she said.
“My quilts are usually wool appliqué on cotton,” Mari explained. “I like the feel of wool. It’s challenging, yet forgiving. It’s a natural fiber, and I really like working with it.”
The Redmond-based quilter notes that sourcing her wool is as important a part of her process as the actual quilting.
“The source of my wool is garage sales, thrift stores, friends — my closet,” she said. “Finding wool is an obsession. If I am in a mall or on the sidewalk
and someone walks by with a wonderful wool coat or shirt or skirt, I want to reach out and touch it and cut off a piece. I have not given in to that impulse yet but it is there.
I probably need therapy.”
She notes that repurposing wool offers
artistic opportunities that you wouldn’t necessarily get for purchasing new wool — using different weights, weaves, and snaps.
Her work provides Mari with endless challenges, and a never-ending sense of adventure.
PHOTOS
‘Mountain Meadow’ poster promotes Quilt Show
By Sue Stafford Correspondent
Local artist Kathy Deggendorfer has made her sixth poster contribution to Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS) with this year’s poster, “Mountain Meadow,” which evokes so much of what makes Sisters the special place we call home.
“I was honored to be asked to create the poster image for the 50th anniversary of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and the fabric collection ‘Mountain Meadow.’”
Kathy’s studio at Pine Meadow Ranch is located in the original ranch house where she turned the old garage into an art environment filled with whimsical images of Sisters Country landscape and animals captured in bright, happy colors and patterns.
Kathy explained the impetus for this year’s poster.
“The view is from the East, the direction of the sunrise, in homage to the beginning of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. Here in the Central Oregon high desert the rabbitbrush and sagebrush thrive on the open range lands in the lower eastern elevations. The wildflowers featured are those that bloom in the spring and early summer — lupine,
yarrow, balsam, and Indian paintbrush.
“Moving westward the elevation rises and the big ponderosa pines emerge to form a kind of cathedral in the forests that surround Sisters. These five ponderosa pines represent the five decades of the Quilt Show.
“The community of Sisters, on the right, is surrounded by the tree-covered rounded foothills of the Deschutes National Forest.
The land here was formed by volcanos and the rounded hills are actually cinder cones.
“A bright, sunny sky tops the ancient volcanos — the Three Sisters: Faith, Hope
and Charity. These snowy peaks frame the view to the West as the viewer follows the sun’s path and looks toward the future.”
The poster artwork is also emblazoned on the SOQS eco tote bag made from 100 percent recycled polypropylene (plastic bottles) as well as postcards and long- and short-sleeved heather grey T-shirts. Posters and other SOQS souvenirs are available for purchase at Stitchin’ Post.
A line of cheerful fabrics based on the elements in the poster has been created including a large replica panel of the poster. Kathy began work on the poster
receives a small percentage of the cost of each yard; as a nonprofit, SOQS will also receive a small royalty from FreeSpirit fabrics. This year, 3,000 yards of fabric are being produced.
A woman in Pennsylvania has created her own line of quilted tennis shoes kits, Happy Feet! Sneaker Kits, calling for three fat quarters of Kathy’s Quilt Show fabric, and sent Kathy a pair. Sisters quilter Jackie Erickson created the pattern for the poster quilt kit with directions.
According to Kathy, creating the Quilt Show poster makes her feel part of the fabric of Sisters.
almost two years ago so there would be ample time to have the fabrics designed and created in time for the 50th anniversary Quilt Show. As a licensed product artist, Kathy
Books Games Events
“I feel like queen for a day as I sign the posters on Quilt Show day. Everyone is very open and I’m the designer wearing the T-shirt.” Kathy will have an art show at Stitchin’ Post in August.
OPEN 9:30 AM –7 PM Mon-Sat, 9:30 AM –5 PM sun MONDAY, JULY 7 • 5:30PM THE PAUSE BUTTON: A Monthly Poetry Gathering ar ound the table to take a moment to pause for poetr y explor ation. Bring a poem or two to shar e. Listen, discuss, and do a little writing No experience necessar y. (First Mondayof everymonth.)
SATURDAY, JULY 12 • 10AM-12PM
TERESA DURYEA WONG author of Kawaii Appliqué Quilts from Japan: How One Country’s Love of All Things Tiny Powers Today’s Most Intricate Quilts. Meet & gr eet and book signing
SUNDAY, JULY 13 • 2-3:30PM PAUL IARROBINO pr esents Defiant Moments: Unyielding queer voices. Unstoppable change, exploring multigener ational defiance.
THURSDAY, JULY 17 • 6:30PM
CINDY SCHARKEY pr esents Permission for Pleasure: Tending Your Sexual Garden. Cindy will offer a shor t r eading, Q&A, and a fun environment to explor e, discuss, and lear n about women’s sexuality.
SUNDAY, JULY 20 • 3-4:30PM
CREATIVE WORKSHOP: KRAYNA CASTELBAUM pr esents Stranger Drawings We often go through life not r eally seeing ea ch other. With pen, paper, and curiosity we’ ll r emedy that. Materials provided. Ages 10+. Donations go to Sister s Festival of Books. Contact/Registr ation: Kr ayna@c lear lenscoac hing.com
MONDAY, JULY 21 • 5:30PM
PSB FICTION BOOK CLUB discussing Anita de Monte Laughs Last by XOCHITL GONZALEZ. All ar e welcome – no need to have r ead the book to dr op in! Meeting third Monday; info at paulinaspringsbooks.com.
MONDAY, JULY 28 • 7PM
HOUSE CONCERT: Avery Hill & Jaspar Lepak. Join us for an evening of song and story with singer-songwriters Aver y Hill and Jaspar Lepak. T his is an intimate listening event wher e music is the focus. Seating is limited. $20-25 suggested donation per per son goes to the ar tists! RSVP to events@paulinaspringsbooks.com. pg ulinasp i ring b sbookks com
Raffle quilt celebrates 50 years of Quilt Show
By Sue Stafford Correspondent
If there is one annual event that has put Sisters on the map nationally and internationally, it is the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS), begun 50 years ago by Sisters resident and quilter Jean Wells.
To celebrate its 50-year anniversary, Jean and Bend quilter Donna Rice collaborated to create a stunning quilt using the New York Beauty quilt pattern, to be raffled off during this year’s Quilt Show.
With fish, designed by Jean’s sister June Jaeger, swimming in cerulean waters across the bottom of the quilt, the snow-capped Three Sisters mountains along the top, and the body of the quilt a riotous explosion of pointed color bursts and three large green ponderosa trees designed by Donna, the quilt artistically trumpets “Sisters Oregon” to the viewer.
The quilt, “Sisters Scape Reimagined,” is a design drawn from one created by Jean’s daughter Valori Wells. Due to the large size of the original, the reimagined version had to be reworked to make it smaller. The back of the quilt utilizes a blue and yellow small floral print fabric based on Kathy Deggendorfer’s 2025 Quilt Show poster, “Mountain Meadow.” Long-arm quilter Annette Caldwell did the quilting.
Donna is a 41-year resident of Bend, where she began quilting in 1991, first volunteering for the Quilt Show in 1995, and now as a member of the SOQS Board. She and Jean are both members of several quilting guilds together.
“Quilting is my thing,” Donna said. “I absolutely love the Quilt Show – the energy, the gathering of like minds. I enjoy volunteering during the Quilt Show and as a Board member.”
For those who would like to create their own version of the quilt,
starter packs are available to get you launched. The full pattern is also available for $24.95 at Stitchin’ Post and on their website.
This annual event all began when Jean and friend Cathi Howell decided to host a small summer fair in 1975 by hanging 12 family quilts outside the first Stitchin’ Post, giving birth to cultural tourism in Sisters, and the rest is history. Since then, Jean has become an author, educator, mentor, designer, and contemporary textile artist, with an international reputation. She has also contributed mightily to the Sisters community with years of public service.
Jean has written 30 books, with her newest one a collaboration with daughter Valori titled “Sisters Oregon – Five Decades of Quilting in America.” It is being released June 24, 2025. One hundred special copies with fabric envelopes are available through SOQS.
Valori’s daughter, Olivia Kennedy, contributed to the book with some of her photography.
When asked about her future plans, Jean simply responded with a smile, “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”
She does have a dream that someday there will be a quilt museum in Sisters with the necessary temperature and humidity controls to maintain the quality of the quilts.
Raffle tickets are $5 each and are available for purchase at Stitchin’
Post in Sisters and on the SOQS website. The drawing for the quilt will take place at 4 p.m. at the close of the Quilt Show on Saturday, July 12, 2025.
During the SOQS, there will be a special exhibit of 100 of Jean’s quilts in numerous areas around Hood Avenue. Please see the special exhibit map for these locations.
This year’s Raffle Quilt, “Sisters Scape Reimagined.”
Donna Rice, left, collaborated with Jean Wells, above.
PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
Sunday tours with Karen Stone
By Katy Yoder Correspondent
Quilt enthusiasts and Karen Stone fans, new and long-standing, will be taking a walk around the beautiful grounds at FivePine Lodge and Conference Center on Sunday for two tours. Stone enjoys letting her guests ask questions about her years as an award-winning quilter. Their curiosity inspires the stories she’ll tell as she and her group walk beneath majestic ponderosa pines and beside a creek brimming with wildflowers. Stone’s quilting skills have been recognized internationally and are represented in many exhibitions.
it
Sunday July 13 • 10 am to 2 pm
“I’ve been at it for 35 years. Over that time, things change; quilting relates to our lives and experiences. The way we look at art when we’re young changes as we grow older. I exhaust a certain style or technique and it’s time to start something new. The times we live in can’t help but affect us,” said Stone from her studio in Texas.
There will be a lifetime of quilts on display that help illustrate stories of Stone’s life as a quilter. She’ll reveal lessons learned and special memories sparked by the quilts, questions from the audience, and the beautiful landscape at FivePine Lodge and Conference Center.
says that her reason for continuing a long stint with quilting is simple.
“I’m really just entertaining myself. I like having things that are joyful around me. With every piece I make, during the process, I always learn something about myself,” said Stone. “I learn things about my brain, the materials I use, or even a negative lesson about not liking to use a certain material. Small consequences affect the overall quality of my experience.”
One of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show organizers favorite quilters and storytellers, Stone never
disappoints as she laughs and describes her quilting processes, whether challenging, inspiring, or something she’ll never try again.
“Being outside will make it especially fun. I won’t have prompts or notes, just the quilts. I love being with people and interacting with them. I like answering their questions,” said Stone. “The landscapes and nature, and all that Jean and Valori Wells see, are a very different experience from where I live in a city in Texas. It’s hot in my downtown, urban loft. The wildlife where I live and work is human. I hope to see eagles while I’m in Sisters. Having
Stone
my quilts hanging in that setting will be fun. I’m honored to be a part of it and traveling to Sisters.”
To learn more about Karen Stone, you can find her on Instagram and Facebook: KarenkStone.
Storybook showcases quilters’ art
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
Once Upon A Time… … in 2017, a landscape painter and gallery owner, Dan Rickards, an avid Quilt Show supporter, had finished designing his second official Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show poster when he thought that a book of quilts would be a memorable way to showcase quilt artists. And be a natural fundraiser.
Remember when large format, hardcover books, were popular and decorated coffee tables or office waiting rooms? Atlases were commonly put into editions as large as 19 inches wide by 24 inches high. It was both an artistic and physical challenge coming up with a storybook that could adequately hold pages that were actual quilts. A book that would have to be 21 inches wide and 33 inches tall!
With the help of gallery employee, Julia Zell, a leathersmith, a leather book with a binding sturdy enough to hold 10 or 12 quilts was created. Zell designed and applied the cover art.
Now, eight years later “Storybook Quilts” lives on, each year delighting all who see it. The quilts are chosen from popular quilters and this year’s artists for the book are Colleen Blackwood, Marion Shimoda, Cindy Call O’Neal, June Jaeger, Naomi Snapp, Kelly Acton, Donna Rice, Tonye Phillips, Jan Tetzlaff, and Jean Wells.
The mini wall quilts sell
for $400–$500 apiece with funds going directly to support the nonprofit Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.
Snapp is in her second year donating a quilt for the “Storybook.”
“I love how the show gives so much back to the community, especially for children,” she said. “I have three kids 3 to 9 and this is prominent in my life. So, doing a quilt for Storybook is the best of both worlds — I get to express myself in a fun, creative way and support this important work at the same time.”
Carol Dixon said, “I’m the page turner. Yep, that’s me. The quilts are so inspirational, and I have such fun explaining the quilts and pointing out the intricacies and background behind the story. As a retired school teacher, it’s a natural role for me that gives me so much pleasure and satisfaction and a chance to meet so many interesting quilters.”
The book is on display all week of Quilter’s Affair at Sisters High School commons and on Quilt Show Saturday, Rickards will have the book on display on the patio of The Open Door restaurant which adjoins his gallery on West Hood Avenue.
Any of the Storybook quilts can be purchased at any time displayed but cannot be claimed until the close of the Show.
As you would imagine, pages made with loose fabric do not turn as dynamically as one made with paper. SOQS volunteers are on hand to turn
the pages to which the quilts are clipped to a stiff backing sheet.
“I can touch an entire quilt with one hand, see and feel all the intricacies and creativity,” said Linda Morris of Salem, who says it is her first stop at every Show. “In my dreams, I buy the whole book and build a pedestal stand to display it. It’s the best of both worlds — quilting and making up my own stories of each quilt, kind of like chapters.”
Most quilters seem to agree that the making of a small block (mini) quilt is not easier because of its size, but more difficult because of the scale requiring more precision and accuracy. Tiny mistakes are quickly magnified with smaller quilts.
While the first Storybook in 2017 was inspired by that year’s theme, Storytellers, quilters since have been free to express themselves as they
Storybook quilts will be on display at The Open Door on Quilt Show Saturday.
please. It will be interesting to see if any of this year’s contributors choose the 50th Show anniversary for their work.
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Popular SOQS contest in its 19th year
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
One of the most enduring and endearing features of quilt week is the Wish Upon A Card contest, sponsored again by Andover Fabrics based in the heart of the Fashion District in New York City.
Contestants must use two Andover fabric choices, available in a free packet, designed by Giuseppe Ribaudo (AKA Giucy Giuce). Giuce learned to sew from his grandmother at a young age. In 2008 he began quilting and has never looked back. A talented pattern designer and quilt instructor, Giuseppe now shares his love of quilting through his prolific collections. He is an avid modern traditionalist quilter with a great passion for simple design in bright colors.
2025 WISH Upon A Card Challenge Winners
1st place – Christine Schimizu, Carmichael, CA
2nd place – Kristan Collins, Sisters, OR
3rd place – Becky Jasper Harkey, Paris, AR
Honorable Mentions
“This year, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Quilt Show, a second postcard challenge has been added honoring the anniversary. Entrants must make a four-inch by six-inch postcard using both fabrics and as many others as they wish. Some of these are quite elaborately done, but the seemingly simple ones also sell well,” said Robyn Gold who coordinates the event.
For the 50th Challenge, entrants were asked to create a postcard recognizing the anniversary in some fashion.
“We have received quite a variety of styles for this challenge, as we always do for the
Jennifer Ball, Wilsonville, OR
Debbie Earle, Sisters, OR
Aimee Hobson, Albany, OR
Kathy Jasper, Sunriver, OR
Barb Jensen, Rochester Hills, MI
Christina Yoo, Wellington, OH
Sasha Post, Bend, OR
Donna Studniarz, Meridian, ID
regular fabric challenge,” Gold said.
Gold says most purchasers are looking for a remembrance of their time at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.
“The variety of styles is always fascinating — from simple use of a decorative
fabric to quite elaborately stitched and embellished,” Gold said.
Some purchasers indicate that they choose a particular card because it shows a quilting or embroidery style they would like to try. Cards are often purchased to send to
someone who couldn’t attend the show. Most of the postcards sell at $10/card, making it a very affordable especially considering it is an original piece of art — no two alike.
A select number of cards will be mounted on eightby-10-inch mats, so they are ready for framing when the purchaser gets home. There are professionally framed
50th Anniversary Challenge
1st place: Jennifer Ball, Wilsonville, OR
2nd place: Karen Murphy, Longview, WA
3rd place: Angela Dabb, Nampa, ID
Honorable Mentions: Christina Yoo, Wellington, Ohio
Barb Jensen, Rochester Hill, Michigan
cards, which are sold in the silent auction. These are in two categories: cards provided by quilters who will be teaching at Quilter’s Affair, and challenge winner/honorable mention cards.
This year, five local professional framing companies have volunteered their time and materials to frame cards: Sisters Gallery & Frame and Wildflower Studio here in Sisters, and Bend Picture Framing, Eastlake Framing, and High Desert Frameworks in Bend.
“They always do an amazing job for us! The cards created by the teachers are usually purchased by followers of those teachers. The card made by our founder Jean Wells is always among the very first to be sold at the “buy-it-now” price of $500,” Gold said.
The top three winners of the 50th Anniversary Challenge will receive bags of Quilt Show goodies.
In addition to the postcard challenges, general (nonjuried) postcards are welcomed to help fundraise for the SOQS Scholarship and production expenses.
The cards are available for purchase during active hours of Quilters Affair and on Quilt Show day at Village Green Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
19th Annual Fabric Postcard Exhibit, Sale, and Auction
Thank you to our sponsors, donors, and supporters!
SPONSORS:
Andover Fabrics • Wildflower Studio
Sisters Gallery & Frame Shop
Bend Picture Framing • Eastlake Framing High Desert Frameworks!
This program has raised over $179,000 to give back to our community and support the production of Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. WISH UPON A CARD
