Bucks County Quilt Show and exhibit by Bristol’s Eve Vallorani are on display at Visitor Center through Sept. 3
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
Quilts have gained quite a bit of respect over the years. No longer are they thought of as massive slabs of fabric kicked to the edge of the bed on a warm summer’s night. They’re pieces of art.
Through Sept. 3, the stitching stylings of some of the area’s finest quilters are on display at the Visitor Center in Bensalem as part of the annual Bucks County Quilt Show. More than 100 pieces are part of this mesmerizing showcase, with the exquisite workmanship of each perfectly highlighted.
According to Gloria Shaffer, industry relations assistant of Visit Bucks County, the goal of this year’s Quilt Show was to get quilters involved from the entire county, not just one area. Attendees are able to enjoy works of art from the largest number of individual quilters, groups and shops to date, including Byrne Sewing Connection, County Line Quilters, Piecemakers of Bucks County, Keystone Quilters, Eternal Quilters, Newtown Quilters Guild, Friendly Quilters of Bucks County, Carversville Church Quilters, Mothers & Others Quilting Group, and The Quilt Academy, which has contributed quilts to the show for 14 years.
A number of the pieces were created for the pure joy of the quilting process. For example, “Pumpkin,” pieced and quilted by Liz Schaeffer, was based on a similar design she came across on Pinterest. The same goes for “Busy Day” by Betsy Steiger, who simply thought it was a fun panel to hand quilt.
Others have more of a sentimental value, with memories quite literally threaded into the patchwork. “Emily’s T Shirt Quilt,” pieced and quilted by Bonnie F. Kane of County Line Quilters, was made with a combination of her daughter’s theater and camp shirts. Another entitled “Anniversary,” quilted by David and Sue Wilsey, is a sampler quilt crafted for the 40th anniversary of Sue’s parents, Helen and Wesley Robinson.
Jenna Worrell’s “You Are My Sunshine,” made from store-bought and hand-dyed fabric, is a tribute to a sweet memory she holds close to her heart.
“As a young girl, my mother used to sing the song ‘You Are My Sunshine’ to me,” she said. “I used this song as an inspiration and theme for this piece to gift to her.”
A select few also boast cultural significance, including “Heche en Mexico” by Mary Clark of Mothers & Others Quilting Group. The piece, which was hand-quilted with metallic thread, was made with material purchased in Mexico using a “Stack N’ Whack” technique featuring skeleton heads. Meanwhile, “Black, White, and Red with Confidence” by Friendly Quilters of Bucks County’s Rose H. Miller utilizes African fabric.
Once attendees find the strength to shift their eyes away from the overwhelmingly intricate cornucopia of colors and patterns, they can view several educational displays. “So You Want to Make a Quilt” explains in detail the construction of a quilt from the planning stage to the final stitches, while the “Scrap Yard” shadowbox showcases the imaginative items that can be made with leftover fabric. In a hands-on experience, guests can try their hand at quilting at the “Variation on a Nine Patch #3” quilt pieced by Mary Clark and quilted by Mothers & Others.
Quilt Show attendees are also invited into the Theater Gallery for “Living in a Material World,” the free exhibit of professional textile artist Eve Vallorani. A native of England and current resident of Bristol Borough, Vallorani’s love of working with various materials started at age 14, when she began making clothes.
“I have this love affair with fabric,” she told The Times.
Though Vallorani intended to become a painter, she found herself drawn to a career in fabric design after graduating from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art. But it wasn’t until five years ago, when she was first introduced to the world of quilting, that she truly found her niche. According to Vallorani, who now works at Pennington Quilt Works in New Jersey, quilting allowed her to unite all of her creative interests and skills of design and sewing into one passion.
Vallorani compared quilting to making stained glass — the final result is far from immediate. A pattern must first be designed and then completed in various stages, a process she said aligns nicely with her clothing background. Vallorani explained how she uses fabric as paint, purchasing materials based on what it reminds her of, whether it’s water or a flower petal. Once she has everything, all of the fabric is laid out on the floor, with Vallorani creating the design as she goes along.
“It happens as I’m doing it,” she said.
Many of her pieces, which are painting-size rather than quilt-size, depict scenes of nature, something she’s always been strongly influenced by. For Vallorani, a fun aspect of the craft is challenging herself, constantly finding new ways to make the fabric resemble everything from an ocean wave to a fish scale.
“Living in a Material World” displays 20 of Vallorani’s pieces. In addition to a number of nature-inspired quilts, including one of a massive, eye-catching jellyfish, others feature highly-detailed Day of the Dead-esque skeletons, roses and voodoo dolls. ••
If you go…
The Bucks County Quilt Show and “Living in a Material World” will run through Sept. 3 at the Bucks County Visitor Center, 3207 Street Road in Bensalem, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The event is free to the public. For information, visit visitbuckscounty.com/event/bucks-county-quilt-show/12210.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at [email protected]
