Quilt show returns to Mayfield Event Center

Historical. Generational. Unique.

For several hours earlier this month, Feb. 8 and 9, the Mayfield Event Center was open for a quilt show. More than 50 quilts, of various ages and design patterns, were on display.

Many of the quilts were from the Bollinger County area, while others came from as far away as St. Louis.

“I’m not a quilter,” said Janet Jones. “I just like to come and see all of the designs.”

Kelly Weber of St. Louis was a first time visitor to Marble Hill and Bollinger County

“It’s my mom’s birthday, she wanted to come out and see the quilts,” Kelly said.

Kelly Weber was visiting with her mother, Janice Weber, who was celebrating her birthday Feb. 8.

“I’m a quilter wanna be. I’ve quilted for friends before,” she said. ““I have a quilt that’s laid out in my basement that I work on sometimes.”

The quilts are a testament to the region’s history, Weber noted.

“Missouri and the south in general has this rich history of quilting and I remember as a child in elementary school they’d have people come in and talk about quilts, in particular, certain patterns and what they symbolized for the Civil War and the Underground Railroad. My mom has been a lifelong sewer and sewing has always been a part of our household. It’s something that we do. I sew dresses in my free time.”

Weber said she enjoyed the uniqueness of the event.

“I think it’s more special out here.”

Weber also admired how many of the quilts on display were incomplete in a few of the details. The presenters may not have known when the quilt was produced, or the back story it may have. “Some of the displays are like, ‘I have this quilt in my house,’ and it says ‘very old’ as the date,” Weber said.

With a varied range of quilts, a few from created before the 1950s, there was the opportunity to view something from different eras.

“I love seeing how it’s a generations tradition,” Kelly Weber said.

Shaina Cronk was admiring a quilt with farm designs.

“That takes a lot of time,” she said.

Becky Wiginton, president of the Bollinger County Chamber of Commerce said there were 65 quilts on display at this year’s event, which is similar to the 2024 debut show

Quilts were on display from as far away as St. Louis and St. Charles, Wiginton said.

“There is one that is quilted that is the sister of the gentleman that had started the Will Mayfield College, which was this building,” she said.

“I’ve had multiple people say this is a really good quilt show, they are really impressed with the variety that we have,” Wiginton said. “There is new, there is old, there are kids that quilted, there are elderly that quilted and then the way we displayed them, they love this building and how it looks with the quilts in it.

The quilt show is another chance to invite people to the Mayfield Event Center.

“Once a month we usually have a community event,” Wiginton said.

In March an art show is in the works while in June an annual tea party will take place.

Quilt show winners

Best Pattern: was displayed by Judy Ruppel, Quilter Unknown, Pattern Cathedral.

Best Colors: Loretta Turner, Bali Star Double Wedding Ring.

Best Overall: Farm Girl Vintage, Vickie Clubb.

Bohemian Scrapsody sponsored this year's quilt show prizes. A show for 2026 is already in the works. It will occur Feb. 7 and 8.