by Pam Schwartz

About a dozen SVMQG  members met up on Sunday, February 25 in Watsonville to visit a local quilt show. Jacquie organized a great in-person event at the Pajaro Valley Quilt Association Annual Quilt Show “A Galaxy of Quilts.”

We met up on a sunny afternoon at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds and saw the quilts on display in the main building, then attended the quilt auction and had some lunch. There was time for socializing, shopping, and ogling many wonderful quilts.

The Pajaro Valley Quilt Association put on a great show. There was an impressive variety on display that filled the three fairground buildings. They also had crafting demonstrations throughout the day. There was a Bed Turning show with a variety of quilts that fit the “galaxy” theme.

Members also put on demonstrations of needle punching, embroidery, hand quilting, and truly tiny english paper piecing. 

They had some nice vendors in addition to a bargain room that had stacks of quilting books for sale as well and notions and fabric for $4.50 per pound. Joyce got the deal of the day when she came upon a vendor selling a vintage quilt for $5! The SVMQG quilted garments small group might get to see the quilt get a second lease on life if she uses it to make a quilt coat. 

Visitors who walked all the way to the back of the bargain room got to see a wall of postcard quilts in a giant display case. These are part of Barbara Lockwood’s collection that she built by participating in online quilted postcard exchange groups. The photos don’t do it justice. 

At 12:30pm there was a Quilt Auction hosted by stand up comedian. Attendees bid on some gorgeous quilts and were encouraged to be generous as proceeds would be shared between the quilt artists and local charities.  

It was nice to have a group of fellow quilters to tour the show with. Look out for more upcoming in-person events!