The quilt garden at Linton’s is called “Elkheart” and has several red hearts symbolizing the diversity in Elkhart County. South of Elkhart, the quilt garden at American Countryside Farmers Market could be interpreted as the paddles on a riverboat or the blades of the ever-present windmills in Amish Country. The quilt garden there has four quilt patterns featuring 10,000 annuals on 2,500 square feet. The quilt garden, “Sunrise,” features the Golden Morning design created by Shirley Shenk of Quilt Designs, one of the Factory shops. Shipshewana’s quilt garden is at the Menno-Hof, a museum about Amish and Mennonite history, and features the diamond shapes of the Menno-Hof logo, which represent the values of the Amish/Mennonite faith.

Right now, Aldridge is working on a queen-sized quilt for her granddaughter, Lauren Taylor, 14, a student at Robertsdale High. While Aldridge does the hand-sewing of her quilts, including appliqués, and the complicated stitching in the center, her daughter, Linda Taylor of Marlow does the machine stitching on the edges. Aldridge and Taylor are no strangers to the quilt show. Both Aldridge and Taylor worked at the Vanity Fair factory, Aldridge as a payroll clerk, and Taylor as a âwork handler,â someone who brought parts of a garment from station to station. The pair hopes to have a quilt ready in time to show off at the 2009 RUMC show, perhaps the one that they are working on now.

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Tags: quilting supplies, front, free quilting patterns, quilting patterns, keepsake quilting, quilting fat quarters

The bright colors of stained glass will shine in the Great Ponds Gallery at the Lakeville Public Library throughout September. It will be your opportunity to talk to Gross to find out how she developed this stained glass style of quilting and to see her enthusiasm for her craft. Gross has been quilting for more than 20 years and has previously exhibited work at the Herring Run Arts Festival in Middleboro. She holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from Mississippi University for Women, attended Hunter College, Parson’s School of Design in New York City and recently completed the University of Rhode Island’s master seamstress program.