Local quilters to showcase beauty of their work at state park

The Sycamore Stitchers are returning to Elizabethton this weekend, bringing light and love to a craft that is centuries old.

Carolyn Buckles, a member of the Sycamore Stitchers, said this will be their 25th show at the Sycamore Shoals State Park.

“This is for members to showcase their quilts,” Buckles said. “We want to keep the art of quilting alive.”

This art of quilting, she said, has been a part of human culture for centuries, and has incorporated materials from as fancy as the stuff coming out today to leftover flour bags back in the day.

Shows like this are important, she said, because it encounters people with love for a craft they might not have thought of before.

“I have been quilting for 30-plus years,” she said. “I was not interested until Linda Brown [then part of the UT Extension Office] invited me.”

For many people, quilting can seem a truly daunting task, from all the equipment to shopping for the fabrics and having to plan everything out, not to mention the time investment, but Buckles said the art is not as hard as it seems once people get used to it.

“It is not really hard,” she said. “We have so many people who are willing to help people start.”

As for her own experience, she said she enjoys shopping for the fabrics the most, especially as designs become more intricate and varied.

“You can find some of the most beautiful fabrics in the world,” she said. “Manufacturers have made them good and rich.”

The most difficult part of the experience, she said, is in the mind.

“It is something you have to want to do,” Buckles said. “It is like an artist. We paint a picture out of fabric.”

Even if you are not interested in quilting on your own, Buckles said she encourages as many people as possible to attend the show.

“They are blown away by what they see,” she said. “You can marvel at what people have made.”

The quilt show will take place Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4-5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 6, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. For more information about the event, contact the park at 423-543-5808.

SportsPlus

Local news

Elizabethton Police seek community’s help in shoplifting incident

Local news

State high court files order lifting Holly’s suspension

Local news

Elizabethton Police seek help identifying suspect in shoplifting incident

BREAKING NEWS

Winter Weather Advisory issued for portions of East Tennessee

Local news

A bright spot fades as TN childhood vaccination rates slip

Local news

Experts: Outdoor activities may beat winter blues, SAD

Local news

Johnson City Commission meeting schedule changes due to inclement weather forecasts

Local news

Johnson City settles serial rapist class action lawsuit for $28M

Local news

First Baptist Elizabethton free food bag distribution rescheduled to Feb. 27

Local news

Workforce Solutions hosts music business coaching course

Local news

The 200th Peters Hollow Egg Fight: A Tradition Like No Other

Local news

Tennessee gas prices rise slightly amid seasonal transition

BREAKING NEWS

Hazardous Weather Outlook issued for East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Southwest North Carolina

Local news

The Salvation Army’s White Flag Open

Local news

Renowned storyteller Elizabeth Ellis performing at ETSU

Local news

SOFA announces leadership transition

Local news

Elizabethton Woman’s Club sponsors community projects

Church News

Church News

Community

Upcoming Elizabethton Events

Community

Elizabethton Senior Center schedule

Local news

What makes Jesus weep?

Local news

City Council moves to accept applications for city judge

Local news

Elizabethton City Offices to close Feb. 17 for Presidents Day; Adjusted garbage collection schedule announced

Local news

City Mayor proclaims Feb. 15 as National School Resource Officer Day