ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. -
Colors, patterns, textures and more are on display at the Vermont Quilt Festival. The majority of quilt submissions come from New England, but some travel across the country, even the world. The Governor's Choice was a Vermont piece, but the Best in Show was a New York creation. Sharon Crowley, the vice chairman of Vermont Quilt Festival says quilts from Germany and even one from Japan stitched their way over to Vermont.
"You can see that here today with the people the way they're looking at it, and they want to see the back, they want to see how it's quilted, stitches-- they want to look at the techniques," Crowley said.
All quilts are submitted and judged on a numerical system, All the contestants that have submitted them are from younger to older, including a piece submitted by a 5-year-old.
"The old and the new of the people, and the old and the new of quilts," Crowley said.
Twelve youth contestants submitted their work amongst the many intricate quilts from experienced contestants. Two sisters from Lexington, Mass., Caitlin and Megan Conners, put their artistic minds to the challenge and began creating their quilts last summer, completing them in the winter-- just in time to submit for this year's festival.
The girls say quilting is not just a craft for older folk. It's a hobby they enjoy and that their friends find cool.
"You can start off young, you don't have to-- doesn't have to be like how people think it's the old grannies that quilt," Caitlin said.
To set the record straight, quilt making has become limitless in terms of expression and is something that appeals to all ages. The festival is not only a benefit to the state of Vermont, but to anyone who can appreciate this time-consuming, heart-felt artwork.
The Vermont Quilt Festival takes place all weekend at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction. Click here for more information.
