1st Annual Quilt Auction a Success

Thank you to everyone who helped make our first annual quilt auction a success!

Proceeds of the auction contributed over $8,000 to assist with the opening of the new museum. These photos of the 15 quilts that were sold at our first auction on October 10th, 2015, are courtesy of Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting:

“Winter Shadows”

Size 66 x 82, designed by Tony Jacobson, machine quilted by master quilter LuAnn Downs of St. Charles. Fabrics include traditional cottons as well as batiks made in Indonesia. Published in Fons & Porter’s Quilting Quickly magazine, Winter 2014.

Winter Shadows“Nan’s Harvest”

Size 48 x 67, by Peggy Freligh. Machine quilted by Peggy and Phyllis Kaldenberg. The fabric panel is by Thimbleberries. Pattern is from Hedgehog Quilts. A beautiful fall-themed wall quilt or sofa throw.

Nan's Harvest“Memories”

Size 66 x 66, by Barb Mapes. Machine quilted by Barb. The Churn Dash blocks were made by eight friends, then shared. Each participant received 100 blocks. Barb put half the blocks into a keepsake quilt for herself, half into a second quilt, which she has donated to the auction. Traditional fabrics, great design and layout.

Memories“Sampler”

Size 55 x 71, by Kathleen Kordick, beautifully hand quilted by Kathleen. This is a classic sampler of traditional American quilt blocks, each a little different. This would be a great quilt for a young kid’s bed.

Sampler

“Blue Tulips”

Size 102 x 128, by Phyllis Kaldenberg, quilted by master machine quilter LuAnn Downs of St. Charles. This quilt is for king size bed, with quilting by a very outstanding machine quilting artist. The quilting alone cost $250.

"Blue Tulips"“Touch of Red”

Size 73 x 83, pieced and quilted by Riina Thompson. Riina is an outstanding machine quilter in our community who quilted many of the Quilts of Valor donated to members of the Iowa Veterans Band in May for the opening of the John Wayne Birthplace Museum.

"Touch of Red"

“Patches”

Size 74 x 90, by Marty Freed, quilted by Kathy Herzberg. Marty, a prizewinning quilter who lives in our community, designed and made this quilt, which includes both patchwork and applique. The quilt was published in Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting.

Patches

“Whirligig”

Size 68 x 85, designed by nationally recognized quilter Marianne Fons, quilted by master quilter LuAnn Downs of St. Charles. Whirligig appeared in Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting magazine July/August 2012. The quilt features Pinwheel blocks in a unique setting inspired by an antique quilt.

Whirligig“Modern Flying Geese”

Size 65 x 79, by Winterset native Mary Fons, co-host of Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting on Public Television. Flying Geese was quilted by Mary’s mom Marianne Fons. It appeared in Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting magazine January/February 2008. This quilt has been prewashed, so it is super soft and cuddly.

Modern Flying Geese

“Shoofly”

Size 57 x 71, made by JoAnn Belling, donated by local quilter Luella Fairholm. JoAnn Belling, an Iowa quilter, is a well-known artist and designer. Beautiful jewel-tone colors in a contemporary treatment of a traditional pattern.

Shoo Fly

“Hide and Seek”

Size 61 x 72, by Cleota Tapken, quilted by Linda Hewitt. Cleota is a local quilter and member of Covered Bridge Quilters Club, which meets monthly at our historical complex. This quilt shows displays high contrast, great workmanship, and a beautiful border.

Hide and Seek

“Country Sampler”

Size 58 x 75, pieced and quilted by Deb Finan, who lived and worked in our community for a number of years. Designed by Tony Jacobson, Country Sampler was featured in a 2011 Fons & Porter special publication called Sampler Quilts & Blocks. Deb is also an avid knitter and spent many hours at Heartland Fibers knitting with Amy Sawyers and others.

"Country Sampler"

“Nine Patch Garden”

Size 71 x 88, made by Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting Staff, donated by by Jean Nolte. It was featured in the Summer 2014 Fons & Porter magazine, Quilting Quickly. Jean has been head editor at Fons & Porter for many years. She’s a talented designer and highly skilled machine quilter herself. This quilt has a modern feel perfect for current decorating trends.

Nine Patch Garden“Christmas in July”

Size 75 x 97, by Barb Huston, quilted by Betty Marker. Features kaleidoscope patchwork in beautiful holiday prints. This would be a great quilt to display in the home at the holidays.

"Christmas in July"“Freedom Stars”

Size 68 x 85, designed, pieced and machine quilted by Diane Tomlinson, a much-published designer. Freedom Stars, which features alternating star and chain blocks, was featured in Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting magazine, July/August 2012.

"Freedom Stars"

Auction Details

Everyone was invited to view the quilts in the museum building at 68 E. Court in Winterset, Iowa, on Friday, October 9th, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm and Saturday, October 10th, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
At 2:00 pm, the quilts came down from display to be transported over to the Courthouse steps for local auctioneer Chuck Garrison to get the bidding started.
The live auction began at 3:30 pm on October 10th on the south side of the Winterset Courthouse (the Mel Penrod Stage).
Nationally-known quilter Marianne Fons, host of “Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting” nationwide on public television, assisted Garrison with details about the auction quilts as each one is held up for bidding.
All fifteen quilts were made and donated by local quilters or quilters with a local connection. Many appeared in national publications.