sunday stories: quilting in the sisters hood

IS THERE A MORE PERFECT PLACE for women to gather than in a city called Sisters? For the past 35 years, on every second Saturday in July, this small Oregon town has been hostess to passionate quilters and enthusiasts from near and very far.

This past July was no exception, with The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show drawing a crowd of 30,000 quilting fans, who walked the downtown streets to view the 1,200 quilts hung in, around and on the local buildings.

As true to the legacy of quilting, each quilt display in the non-juried show had a "Quilt Story" pinned to the corner.

While the origins of quilting are about creating beauty and comfort from essentially scrap material, there is the important element of self-expression that emerged over the years and has become the golden thread that seamlessly stitches generation to generation. When women did not have the option to learn to read or write, it was the needle, thread and fabric that became their means for storytelling and preserving family history.

Quilting has long offered women a chance to gather, socialize, share news and offer support, and this event is no exception. Although the official quilt show is just the one day, there are activities the week prior, including classes, events, artist receptions and even a musical production called, appropriately, "Quilters, The Musical".

The mood is unlike any festival you have attended. Though packed and crowded, the estrogen-infused air leads all to be good-spirited, willing to share their tips and show their stuff. There are a few loyal husbands and good-natured male companions scattered throughout the mostly female crowd — but when in Sisters, on this particular weekend, it's really all about the ladies.