Antique, vintage contemporary and “Summer in the Garden” themed quilts on display from Oct.13-17

AURORA — Elaborate quilts with designs featuring flowers, vegetables, insects, birds, garden implements, birdhouses, animals and themes representing “Summer in the Garden” are set to be on display during the 32nd annual Aurora Historical Society Quilt Show.

More than 100 vintage, antique, contemporary and theme quilts will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13, through Sunday, Oct. 17, at the Old Aurora Colony Museum in the historic downtown area.

The annual show allows the historical society to display the quilts and coverlets made by original Aurora colony members who settled in the communal town under Dr. William Keil nearly 150 years ago. It also serves as a fund-raiser for the Aurora Colony Historical Society.

Quilt enthusiasts who attend the show will see quilting demonstrations by featured quilter Marjorie McCanse, will have the chance to enter a block contest, and can tour the merchant’s mall, coffee shop, and gift shop.

A range of talent, techniques and history have been sewn into the quilts which will be hung in all buildings of the museum complex, including the Kraus House, Steinbach Log Cabin and Aurora Colony Wash House.

Quilts will also be on display in the Vendors Mall, which is located in the Pythian Hall, across from the museum on Second Street.

McCanse, a longtime quilter from Salem, will be on hand to demonstrate her craft in the Kraus House.

She creates samples for quilt shops and said that quilting gives her an opportunity to grow, stretch, and try new techniques, colors and fabrics — some of which are challenging, she added.

“I sometimes feel I was born with quilting in my blood,” she said in a press release. “My family has quilted for many generations. My mother taught me on her Singer treadle sewing machine and when I was given scraps from Miss Lizzy Fry and my grandmother’s waste basket, it was like getting candy.”

McCanse said she is eager to show her quilts at the Aurora show, and enjoys teaching and sharing her techniques with others.

“Sewing has always been a large part of my life,” she added. “My grandmother would have been so happy had today’s fabrics and tools been available to her. How far quilting has come in the last 25 years.”

Being asked to be part of the Old Aurora Colony Museum’s Quilt Show “is a thrill,” she said in a press release.

“The Aurora area was my home for the first 18 years and this feels like coming home again,” she added.

Also on display during the show will be the 2004 raffle quilt “Window to My Summer Garden.” Made from the winning blocks in the 2003 block contest, the quilt features a sun, watering can, carrots, flowers, birdhouse, butterfly, tulips, roses, and bees.

The quilt, made of 20 blocks, is 87-inches-by-102-inches and was quilted by Aurora Colony Quilters Nancy Misley Fobert, Mary Hansen, Loita Colebank, Lorna Greeley, Vera Yoder, Irene Westwood, Wanda Cutsforth, Annette James, Millie Lim, Judy Leece and Sue Asher. The batting and backing were donated by The Quilted Hill in Yamhill.

Raffle tickets are $1 for one ticket, $5 for six tickets, $10 for 15 tickets and $25 for 50 tickets. All proceeds support the Aurora Colony Historical Society’s Old Aurora Colony Museum and Stauffer-Will Farm.

During this year’s show there will be an education area in the main museum building, and a special exhibit of vintage buttons and antique hand-crank sewing machines.

Coffee, cookies and punch will be served in the museum’s 1876 Steinbach Log Cabin.

The educational area will include information on how to clean historical quilts and textiles and is tentatively scheduled to include tips on caring for quilts, demonstrations, information on the Aurora colony quilts and registration process, and quilts for sale.

The Aurora Colony Quilters are currently seeking entrants for this year’s block contest with the theme of “Lewis & Clark’s Trail of Discovery.”

Blocks may be pieced or appliqued and should be representative in color and design of Lewis and Clark’s journey, organizers report. Ideas include: rivers, mountains, plant life, wildlife, towns, forts and people they encountered, canoes, compasses, tools and things they used, Thomas Jefferson, journals, and maps.

The blocks are judged and the top 20 blocks will be used to make up the 2005 raffle quilt. Extra blocks are used to make quilts or other quilted items which are sold by the Aurora Colony Historical Society with proceeds benefiting the ACHS and its museum.

All blocks must be submitted to the museum no later than Friday, Oct. 15.

The quilt show is sponsored by the Old Aurora Colony Quilters and the Aurora Colony Historical Society.

The cost for entrance to the quilt show is $3.50 for adults, $3 for seniors and AAA members, and $2 for children. The Old Aurora Colony Museum is located on the corner of Second and Liberty streets in downtown Aurora.

For more details on the block contest and quilt show, call 503-678-5754, or visit www.AuroraColonyMuseum.com.

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