Patchworks of Creativity

On a Saturday in July, 38 years ago, Jean Wells Keenan hung a dozen of her students' quilts outside her quilt shop, The Stitchin' Post.  This seemingly small gesture quickly grew into an annual event in Sisters, Oregon, now the nation's largest outdoor quilt show.  Kathy and I just happened to be here for this annual event, which took place today.  More than 1300 quilts, ranging from hand-quilted heirlooms to contemporary art quilts lined the buildings, fences and railings.  The quilts were made by quilters from all over the country, and even  outside the country. There were thousands of people there for the show.  I have never seen anything like it.

I had fully intended to follow Kathy around for a bit, then dodge off for some geocaching, only to pick her up later in the day.  No way.  This was amazing. We strolled the streets of Sisters together for over four hours, and still didn't see everything.  It was like a town art festival, really.  These quilts have so much creativity, thought, and effort in the design and construction, I just walked around with my mouth open.  It was very cool.  Some pictures follow.

After the show, we went back to regain our composure at the camper, then, later in the day, we drove south a few miles to Bend, Oregon, where we had the pleasure of having a great dinner out with our friends Jeanne and Roger H.  They showed us a little of the downtown area, and then we ate at the Deschutes Brewery, the makers of Mirror Pond IPA and other Mirror beers.  (This is a make of beer we often buy back home in Arizona).  Roger led us down to show us the actual "Mirror Pond" that the beer is named for.  It is a dammed section of the Deschutes river, now a popular swimming and rafting area in Bend.  It was a fun time, and great to see our friends.  We look forward to their annual return to our community in Tucson later in the year.