Airing of the Quilts Program

May 11, 2024

Photography By Lynn

Welcome to Palmerton

Inaugural Airing of the Quilts

We are pleased to share our town and love of quilting with you. Our community has worked hard to display their talents and we hope you enjoy their creations. The purpose of this event is to benefit the Palmerton community.

Vision-Mission Statement

Our Vision is to develop Palmerton into the destination for quilt inspirations.

Our Mission is to hold an annual Airing of the Quilts event involving:

• Quilt show with vendors

• Quilts in all the shop windows on Delaware Ave

• Vendors and entertainment in the Borough Park

• Quilt demonstrations and lectures

• Scavenger hunt to encourage quilters to visit all the shops

The goals are to:

• Bring business to all the local shops and restaurants

• Increase awareness of Palmerton & local communities to visitors

• Inspire new quilters to develop the craft

Please enjoy the day!

Judy Borger, Sharon Gower, Cheryl Ann Hank, Cindy Mengel-Smith, & Terri Sheckler

Board of Directors, Airing of the Quilts-Palmerton

2024 Raffle Quilt

Tickets: $2 each (3 for $5)

We are so proud of our queen size (94” x 94”) raffle quilt, designed, sewn, and quilted by our own Sharon Gower of Longarm Charm Quilting Services.

Drawing will be held on December 3, 2024. Winner will be contacted by phone.

Tickets can be purchased the Palmerton High School lobby.

Schedule of Events

Palmerton Borough Park & Bandstand

322 Delaware Ave

9:00am – 5:00pm

Mahoning Valley Fiber Guild: fiber demos of all types

Children’s Tent: design your own quilt block

10:00am – 12:00pm

Jeni Hackett music (bandstand)

12:30pm – 1:00pm

Storytelling for children by Kathy Long (bio on page 8)

1:00pm – 2:00pm

14th & Spring Dixie Land Jazz Band

2:00pm – 3:00pm

ZOW Jr. Singers (bandstand)

3:30pm – 4:00pm

Storytelling for children by Kathy Long (bio on page 8)

Bethany Wesleyan Church 457 Delaware Ave

9:00am – 5:00pm

Quilts by Shelba Scheffner (bio on page 6)

10:00am – 11:00am & 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Terry Berger hand quilting demo (bio on page 6)

Lighthouse Church 705 3rd St (across from Borough Park)

9:00am – 5:00pm

Antique & Vintage Quilt Displays

Palmerton Library 402 Delaware Ave

9:00am – 4:00pm

Quilt Sale

List of Events

Schedule of Events

Palmerton High School

3525 Fireline Rd, Palmerton

9:00am – 5:00pm

Quilt Show & Artisan Craft Vendors

$5 admission

Palmerton High School – Auditorium

3525 Fireline Rd, Palmerton

10:00am – 11:00am

LECTURE: Arlan & Pat Christ (bio on page 8)

The Christ Collection: Museum Showcase

1:00pm – 2:00pm

LECTURE: Color Theory by Christie Washburn (bio on page 7)

2:00pm – 3:00pm

LECTURE: Arlan & Pat Christ (bio on page 8)

The Christ Collection: Museum Showcase

Free Bus Transportation: Park & Ride

9:00am – 5:00pm

We strongly suggest parking at the high school for an easy ride to and from town.

LOCATIONS

Palmerton High School

3525 Fireline Road, Palmerton

Free on-site parking

Palmerton Borough Park

322 Delaware, Palmerton

Various on-street & parking lots

Palmerton High School – Gymnasium

Our Distinguished Guests

Shelba Scheffner

Quilt display at Bethany Wesleyan Church

Shelba has always found joy in sewing and crafting, with fond memories of learning knitting from her Aunt Kathryn as a child. She treasures the plastic sewing case her aunt gave her and wishes she still had it. As a teenager, she delved into hand quilting, inspired by her grandmother Eva Haydt’s skillful quilting for her many grandchildren. Recognizing quilting as both practical and creative, Shelba asked her grandmother to teach her, starting with basic cardboard template squares and triangles, and her first pattern was Swallows Nest.

Over the years, Shelba has developed a love for piecing and applique, particularly enjoying Judy Niemeyer’s paper piecing method. She’s attended courses with Judy in Arizona and Wisconsin, appreciating the constant learning opportunities in quilting. The evolution from scissors and cardboard to modern quilting equipment fascinates her, acknowledging how far the craft has come.

Every quilt holds a unique story for Shelba, from her first Log Cabin wall hanging made on her Singer Touch and Sew machine to the present. Her passion for quilting remains undimmed, now supported by two dedicated sewing rooms crafted by her son Justin. While she mostly quilts solo, she values the camaraderie of quilt days with friends at church and retreats like Sewing by the Sea in Ocean City, Md.

Her husband Tom’s unwavering support and her children’s pride add to Shelba’s blessings. Beyond quilting, music is another cherished passion as she has been a church musician for over five decades, finding fulfillment in playing keyboard for the Contemporary Christian Praise Band. Shelba is grateful for her strong hands and fingers, enabling her to continue enjoying both music and quilting.

Terry Berger

Hand quilting demos at Bethany Wesleyan Church

Terry expresses deep honor at being invited and included in the Airing of the Quilts event. He shares a bit about himself, highlighting the uniqueness of his passion for quilting as a man. His introduction to quilting traces back to his Pennsylvania German family heritage, where quilting was deeply rooted

both at home and in the church community.

During his childhood, his mother would take him to quilting bees at their church, where he developed a love for the craft. He recalls a particular sister, affectionately known as “die Immerschwetzer” or “chatterbox,” who attended the quilting gatherings more for socializing than for quilting expertise. Despite her skills not always meeting the group’s standards, she was warmly welcomed. After she left, Terry was asked to pick out her stitches, which eventually led him to learn how to hand quilt.

Quilting has remained a lifelong hobby and passion for Terry, with him having crafted close to four dozen quilts and continuing to create more.

Christie Washburn

Color Theory at Palmerton High School Auditorium

Christie holds a degree in Graphic Arts from Pratt Institute. She has furthered her education by taking classes at the Art Institute and Academy of Fine Art in Manhattan, as well as attending workshops, including a recent one focusing on Art quilts. Additionally, for approximately 12 years, she was involved in organizing and facilitating figure drawing sessions in Nyack, NY.

Her work experience encompasses various fields, including social work, freelance design (including t-shirts and soft sculptures), sewing plush toy animal samples for a designer, designing print fabric, computer program design for banking and brokerage, sewing costumes for a small theater company, and sewing samples while selling fabric at the Quilted Crow.

Christie has been sewing since grade school and has a background in art. She finds quilting particularly fulfilling as it allows her to create objects that are not only useful but also expressive, visually appealing, and tactilely pleasing.

Patricia Piasecki

Quilt Collection at the High School Gym

Patricia Piasecki’s sewing journey began in childhood when she crafted doll clothes for her Barbie dolls. Transitioning from garment sewing to quilting in 2020, she became an active member of multiple quilt guilds, engaging in community projects and serving as a Group Leader for Quilts of Valor. Her venture into mini quilts started with a circle of friends passionate about “Jo Morton” minis. Recently, she and fellow members of the Crazy Quilters Guild have been working through Kim Diehl’s “Little Whatnot’s” book 3. Patricia hopes you appreciate this collection of her work!

Arlan & Pat Christ

The Christ Collection Museum Showcase at Palmerton High School Auditorium

Arlan and Pat Christ reside in Berks County, Pennsylvania, where they dedicate themselves to collecting and studying quilts, documenting their historical significance. Preserving the heritage of antique quilts has become the primary mission of The Christ Collection.

Their collection includes publications showcasing quilts, along with developed quilt patterns. Both Arlan and Pat are active members of various quilt study and preservation groups, including the Lehigh Valley Quilt Study Group, MidAtlantic Quilt Study Group, Mid-West Fabric Study Group, American Quilt Study Group, Quilter’s Hall of Fame, and Baltimore Applique Society.

They have curated numerous exhibits at prominent venues such as Quilt Odyssey in Hershey, PA, Airing of the Quilts in Tunkhannock, PA, New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA, Quilters Hall of Fame in Marion, IN, Virginia Quilt Museum in Harrisonburg, VA, Vermont Quilt Festival in Essex Junction, VT, Muncy Historical Society in Muncy PA, the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY, American Quilters Society in Paducah, KY, and Grand Rapids MI. Arlan and Pat Christ are committed to preserving the quilting legacy by delivering lectures on its rich history.

Today, they are excited to unveil the latest addition to their collection, the MUSEUM SHOWCASE. This collection includes quilts obtained from the auction of the Packwood House Museum in Lewisburg, PA, which closed permanently in 2020. The lecture they are presenting today features a range of Pennsylvania quilts dating from 1840 to 1940, each with its unique design and style. They look forward to sharing the stories behind these quilts and hope they bring joy to the audience as well.

Storytelling at the Park

Kathy Long is a lifelong quilter, storyteller, artist, and historian.  She resides in Lehighton, PA with a house full of quilts, trees, and history.   Kathy believes in the power of quilts to tell a story, that trees are rooted deep in the past, and one thread can stitch them together to make history.

Kathy has a passion for collecting stories to preserve our local history and telling them in a unique style all her own.  She is especially fond of reading stories to children so that they can experience the past and learn to appreciate and care for the rich heritage that surrounds them.

“Quilts tell a story; trees are rooted deep in the past; one thread stitches them together to make history.”

Kathy Long

With Special Thanks

To Our Vendors, Volunteers & Supporters

Our Vendors

Christie Washburn & Dorothy Bevilacqua

CJ’s Wood’n Stuff

Diane Phalen Watercolors

Eggs by Arlette

Firefly Fields

Hoover’s Bernina

Linda’s Purses & More

Mel’s Baskets

Rachel Rossi Design

Sam’s Stuffies and Such

Sew What Guild

Thimbleberry Yarn & Craft

Vaillette’s Lehigh Treats

Wilson’s Calico Corners

Zinnia Joy

A special thank you to all of our volunteers, the quilters who submitted their quilts, the Sew What Guild, the Palmerton Library, the Lighthouse Church, the Bethany Wesleyan Church, the Palmerton High School, and all of the businesses that displayed quilts and participated in the Scavenger Hunt.

Thank you to Jennifer Christman for her creativity in designing our logo, program, and website. You can reach her at info@tallpinescreativedesign.com for your next project.

An extra special thank you to George’s Bus Service for his time and the transportation he provided to make traveling effortless.

by Sharon Gower

Find us just off the beaten path as you enjoy Palmerton’s first Airing of the Quilts

Inspiring you to grow your style, Carla has brought together an assortment of hand crafted and vintage items for your home or for gifting. Be sure to check out the quilt themed art.

Delight in Sarah’s nature inspired jewelry, each creation hand crafted of copper or sterling silver.

Join us …

Saturday, May 11, 2024 9:00am to 6:00pm

Janelle, western clinical herbalist, can help you feel better naturally with her curated herbal products.

Come see my antique

Live Music

Trivia Night

Daily Specials

110 Delaware Ave, Palmerton | 610-826-3333

Monday-Thursday 4:00–9:00PM Friday & Saturday 11:30AM–11:00PM Sunday noon–8:00PM 110tavern.com

& Beverage

1. One Ten Tavern

Papa Al’s

2. Joe’s Place

Dunkin’ 110 Delaware Ave noon – 10pm 346 Delaware Ave 11am – 9:30pm 155 Delaware Ave 11am – 8pm Palmerton Borough Park 9am – 5pm 285 Delaware Ave 11am – 11pm 416 Delaware Ave 7am – 8:30pm 289 Delaware Ave noon – 9pm 472 Delaware Ave 11am – 10pm 304 Delaware Ave 11am – 10pm 555 Delaware Ave 5am – 9pm Event Scavenger Hunt

Lion’s Club Food Truck

Tony’s Pizza 8. Bert’s Family Restaurant

Claude’s Creamery 9. Hunan House

Palmerton Pub

3.

4.

5.

Scavenger Hunt Locations

Fireline Rd 9am – 5pm

572 Delaware Ave (at Country Harvest) 8am – 3pm 950 Delaware Ave noon – 2am

623 Delaware Ave 11am – 10pm

625 Delaware Ave 8am – 9pm

638 Delaware Ave noon – 10pm

695 Delaware Ave 11am – 10pm

3790 Forrest Inn Rd. 11am – 2am

1121 Mauch Chunk Rd. 11am – 11pm

Sew What Quilt Guild

Photography By Lynn

ZOW Junior Singers

1:00pm – 2:00pm Borough Park Bandstand

2:00pm – 3:00pm Borough Park Bandstand

1:00pm – 2:00pm Strolling On Delaware Ave

14th & Spring Dixie Land Jazz Band

Jeni Hackett

Trombone – Mitchell Hourt

Trumpet – Spencer Guido

Sousaphone – Jesse Leahey

Drums & Washboard - Ben Sanchez

Photography By Lynn

Survey

Comments & Suggestions

We are always looking for ways to improve our program. Please tell us what you liked, and what you did not like about this year’s Airing of the Quilts.

Please tell us about any ideas you may have for next year’s event.

Please tell us how you heard about this event.

2024 Scavenger Hunt

10:00am – 4:00pm

Visit the shops below to find the 18” quilt block where a volunteer will stamp your program. Submit this completed form to any participating Scavenger Hunt location for the prize drawing. Fill in your name and phone number – winners will be notified. Please check the store hours, they may be different.

Hager’s Furniture: 242 Delaware Ave, 9am – 4pm

Historical Society: 410 Delaware Ave, 10am – 4pm

Young’s Jeweler: 328 Delaware Ave, 10am – 2pm

The Quilted Crow: 413 Delaware Ave, 9am – 5pm

Palmerton Pharmacy: 330 Delaware Ave, 9am – 2pm

My Place: 418 Delaware Ave, 10am – 5pm

Good Karma Hippie Shop: 378 Delaware Ave, 10am – 4pm

Dynamic Décor Depot: 426 Delaware Ave, 10am – 5pm

Palmerton Area Library: 402 Delaware Ave, 9am – 4pm

Palmerton Borough Park: 322 Delaware Ave, 9am – 4pm

Name Phone

Vote for Viewer’s Choice Quilt

A ballot box is located on the admission table at the Palmerton High School gym. You may vote for any quilt displayed throughout the event.

Quilt #