Friday reception opens October Patchwork Pals Quilt Guild show at Charles City Arts Center

To The Press

The Patchwork Pals Quilt Guild will open as the October exhibit at the Charles City Arts Center with a reception this Friday, Oct. 6, from 5 to 7 p.m.

This exhibit will be the guild’s seventh time showing members’ creations at the Arts Center.

Guild member Colette Schmidtke said she is excited to showcase her group’s work.

“The Art Center has been a fine supporter of the guild in helping promote the art of quilting with the displays every two years,” she said. “There will be a variety of quilts to enjoy that reflect the quilting preferences of the quilters in the guild.”

Schmidtke said visitors should expect to see a wide variety of quilt sizes and techniques and the guild members look forward to seeing the public at the reception.

“The guild hopes many in the community and county will take time to browse the display and maybe be inspired to venture into quilting,” Schmidtke said.

In addition to making quilts, members of the guild are active in the community, often helping those in need. They have sewn bags for the public library and New Hope Pregnancy Center and during the pandemic they made masks for the hospital and nursing home.

They have also taken on tasks like making dresses for girls in Africa, pillow cases that were donated to Cedar Valley Friends of the Family, and Christmas stockings for foster children.

The guild has been around for 17 years and Schmidtke said the number of members has fluctuated over the years.

“There are 11 members who were charter members in 2006 when the guild was formed. The current roster lists 30 members,” she said.

Patchwork Pals meets at Messiah Lutheran Church in Charles City the first Monday of every month except January and July.

Arts Center Assistant Director Karl Haglund said the center is excited to host this show again.

“It’s always a well-attended and lively event and we look forward to seeing all the quilts that the guild brings in,” he said.

The exhibit will kick off with the opening reception Friday evening, sponsored by Tellurian Brewing, and then will be on display for the rest of the month, Haglund said.

The Charles City Arts Center is located at 301 N. Jackson Street, across from Central Park. For more information call 641-228-6284 or email the Arts Center at charlescityarts@gmail.com.