Do you love quilting and bluegrass music? All this week, during the Susanville Bluegrass Festival, the Lassen County Fairgrounds is playing host to a group of enthusiastic quilters who soak up the atmosphere while creating works of art with sewing machines and fabric.
The popular annual quilter’s enclave starts at 9:00a.m. each morning through Sunday and is held in the large air-conditioned commercial building at the fairgrounds – just perfect for a week of quilting.
Marilyn Sue Chapman, one of the event organizers, explains that while many bluegrass festivals have quilting rooms available, popular opinion is that Susanville’s is the best around.
Along with air-conditioning the fairgrounds also provides sewing tables, chairs and piped in bluegrass music! Quilters arrive with their machines and assorted paraphernalia and ‘quilt the days away.’
According to Chapman there are often 20 or so quilters that sew all week long, and local quilters are welcome to come quilt for a day or for the entire week.
“Entrance to the fairgrounds is free Monday through Thursday,” explains Chapman. “Once the music begins, participants must purchase tickets to the Festival to continue quilting through Sunday.”
This year, Laura Roberts at Country Pines Quilt Shop will be hosting a challenge called ‘Black and White Plus One More.’ The challenge is to construct a quilt using blacks, whites and one other color of your choosing. White on black, black on white and one other color are allowed, but no grays or ecru.
Quilts must be quilted, bound and turned into Country Pines Quilt Shop or the Bluegrass Quilters quilt room at the fairgrounds by June 24th at noon. The Festival attendees will vote for their favorite quilt and prizes will be awarded Sunday morning. Entrants are responsible for picking up their entries by noon on June 26th.
For more information about the bluegrass quilters call the Lassen County Fairgrounds at 251.8900.