The 42nd annual Quilt Auction in New Hamburg

Saturday was very well-spent with a long-time quilting friend, Kathy (great blog here), her Mom and 2 of her friends. Kathy is one of the very first internet quilter friends that I have met online and also have been able to enjoy as a friend in real life.

New Hamburg is the location for the annual Mennonite Relief Sale and Quilt Auction. I have been attending for many of the last 25 years, often leaving London at 6 AM so that we can make it in time for the pancake and sausage breakfast. The town streets are filled with garage sales, the fairgrounds with treats such as tea balls, freshly made donuts, and especially Strawberry pie!!! The best draw for me are the more than 200 quilts that are donated.



During the years I have been attending I thoroughly enjoy the quilts on display. I always learn so much from these pieces. These range from exquisitely hand quilted heirloom quality pieces made by the Mennonite church women, to cheerful quilts for the crib, afghans and special group projects donated to the cause. Kathy and 3 of her friends donated a beautiful Butterfly quilt which raised $475 towards the relief funds.
One of the posted signs highlight that $590 raised for a quilt sold would cover the cost of rebuilding a home destroyed by a cyclone. I (NAYY) like very much that all funds raised go 100% to relief efforts world wide as the supplies, man power and materials used during the sale are all freely donated.

Back at the auction, the big excitement was over a quilt finally selling for $25,000. I think her daughter came home from Texas to purchase it as a surprise.


This was cross-stitched over a year by a woman who has already donated 15 quilts. Her works so far have raised over $60,000. AMAZING! The quilt is very large and had 2 matching shams, also beautifully cross-stitched.

P.S. This statue was found at a New Hamburg garage sale (many years ago) and drives our kids crazy as well a s being the object of my friends ridicule as "the most-awful-garage-sale-find-ever". It actually was a dark brown tinged with bronze and I painted it antique gold. It makes me smile.




Comments

  1. $25,000 for a quilt!?!? Tremendous!

    As for the garage sale find - I would not ridicule it. I love it! What is more human and satisfying in life than sharing your love and your body with someone you love? Isn't that what the statue is showing?

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  2. What beautiful quilts. Glad they raised so much money.

    Everyone needs a piece of art that is ridicule worthy or embarrasses the kids. It's what we live for, right?

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