Thanks to the Prairie Hearts Quilt Guild, a leisurely Sunday drive on May 24 will be a bit more exciting than usual — as local quilters prepare to display their workmanship in a totally new way this year.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day, members of the quilt guild will have their quilts and other handiwork display outside their homes for a Drive-By Quilt Show.
With about 25 members taking part, around 100 quilts will be featured in the unique show, hanging outside for Moose Jaw motorists to view from the street.
“They'll be hanging in windows, on balconies, railings, and draped over lawn furniture, wherever they want to put it outside,” said guild president Lizanne Knox-Beam. “I know most people will hang out two or three, so that will add up. It's going to be fun.”
The guild has a list of addresses that will be taking part in the drive-by display, which will be made available in the Moose Jaw Express and on the guild’s Facebook page.
All of the displays will be made to view from the vehicle as people drive by, in order to maintain proper social distancing techniques while still letting Moose Jaw enjoy the view.
Knox-Beam even shared that an apartment building on Athabasca Street East is planning on hanging a quilt from every window of the building, which is sure to be a sight to see.
Spring is usually a time when quilters are travelling around the province to view and participate in quilt shows, but the pandemic has cancelled the usual events and left Moose Jaw quilters stuck at home.
Although this year was not meant to be the year the guild hosts their own quilt show, some members decided that they’d like to do something anyway — to lift not only their own spirits but also the spirits of the rest of the city.
“Lots of places had to cancel their quilt shows and it was very disappointing, so we thought why don't we do this and give people something to do?” said Knox-Beam. “It's just something that we can do to give back to our community and let people know there's an appreciation for what we do, and we do it for fun and the love of quilting.”
The guild’s monthly meetings were suspended back in March, leaving quilters to stay in touch mostly through the guild’s Facebook, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been quilting.
Guild members have been very busy during the self-quarantine orders, said Knox-Beam, and most are excited to show off the projects they’ve been working on lately.
The impromptu drive-by quilt show is really just a precursor to the spring show the guild is planning for next year, which will fill the Ford Curling Centre on May 7-8, 2021.
“Because everybody is on lockdown right now, everybody is quilting like mad, so we should have lots of quilts for our quilt show then,” said Knox-Beam.
For the list of addresses participating in the Drive-By Quilt Show, click here.
