Alva Review-Courier -

Growing up, Yvette Papon of Hardtner was surrounded by her mother's sewing projects but decided to take a different direction. Jo Carr of Medicine Lodge closed a craft store and needed a way to use up the leftover fabric. Patty Johnson of Lake City can't remember exactly how she started. No matter how they began quilting, the members of the Scrap Pack Quilt Guild agree. They have a lot of fun!

The members of the quilt guild, centered in Barber County, Kansas, are the featured exhibitors at the Graceful Arts Gallery in Alva during February. Quilts large and small adorn the gallery walls in muted tones and vibrant hues. Some are pieced the old style way while others use more modern techniques.

The quilters aren't so much interested in selling their quilts as they are in the act and art of creation. The quilts often become gifts for family members and friends. Most of the women have made quilts or quilted gifts for their children and grandchildren. Gifts for the younger children usually feature the brightest colors.

Teresa Farrar of Medicine Lodge bought a long-arm quilting machine and offers her services to help others finish their quilting projects. She's the only guild member we spoke with who has made a business from her quilting interest.

Janet Elwood of Kiowa was one of the founding members of the Scrap Pack Quilt Guild which started with five to seven members. She said Papon came up with the name for their group. Elwood believes they started meeting around 16 years ago. Since then they've added members. Carr said she joined after she and her husband retired to Barber County ten years ago.

All the women emphasized how much they enjoy learning from each other. They love sharing ideas and new techniques. They might share fabric from their stashes or demonstrate a new tool. When attending a retreat to learn something new, if someone forgot a tool or needs some thread, the others will offer their supplies. The social aspect of their meetings is just as important as the quilting.

One project of the guild is their Barber County Fair quilt. In the quilt section of the fair, one set of entries involves making a quilt block from the same selection of fabrics. Then those blocks are gathered up and made into a quilt by guild members. One adds the border which another finishes and yet another does the quilting. Donations for entries give everyone a chance to win the finished quilt in a drawing.

At the First Friday Artwalk, Farrar and Carr provided demonstrations of their techniques. On a table set up in the workroom at the south end of the Graceful Arts Gallery, Farrar showed samples of her wool applique work in brilliant colors.

Jo Carr spread her work across a couple of tables where she showed how to use paper patterns to make intricate quilt blocks. She used the Lucy Boston Patchwork of Crosses pattern to show how blocks could be made from one fabric, two or even four fabrics.

Carr said she was fascinated with that pattern when she saw it online and ordered a kit. It only contained fabric and templates. "They didn't show me how to fussy-cut to create the design," she said. But the design is what appeals to her. "I love handwork, but I am not a hand-quilter at all. I'm too much of a perfectionist." It takes approximately 12 hours to finish a completed block of the design.

Carr, who used to live in Alva, said she thought when her husband retired she'd go back to oil painting. Instead she enjoys making art quilts. "I paint with fabric."

You can see videos of some of the women mentioned online at http://www.AlvaReviewCourier.com. Unfortunately, due to operator error, one video and part of another were lost.