River Heritage Quilter's Guild presents 13th Biennial Quilt Show this weekend

The River Heritage Quilters' Guild will present the 13th Biennial Quilt Show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Arena Building, 410 Kiwanis Drive in Cape Girardeau.

More than 100 quilts have been entered to be judged by certified quilt appraiser Teajuana Mahone, owner of Teaquilts in St. Louis. Prizes will be awarded based on workmanship, design and overall appearance.

This year's theme is flying geese, a quilting pattern of rectangular patchwork components that are twice as long as they are tall, each with a peaked triangle at its center.

The competition accepted submissions from quilters in the five state region of Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Arkansas and Tennessee.

Winners will receive ribbons and cash prizes in seven categories. First place in all categories wins $50, second place $30 and third place $20. There will be 26 total ribbons awarded.

River Heritage Quilters' Guild member Merle Deneke stands beside a quilt she made as part of a guild challenge where she had to be inspired by a gift bag. She named the quilt "Zodiac Moon and Sun."Danny Walter

Every two hours, on both Saturday and Sunday, there will be quilt turnings where around 20 quilts will be laid out on a bed and then displayed one by one. These quilts are not in the competition and are often old family quilts or former prize winners.

Guild member Lynne Taylor said she loves to see all the old quilts.

"You can imagine being in someone's bedroom with all these quilts draped over the bed," Taylor said. "As each quilt is announced, two people hold them up and the owner of the quilt gives a little story about it, because every quilt has a story."

The River Heritage Quilters' Guild, which currently has more than 130 members, began in 1989, and meets the second Monday of every month at La Croix Church in Cape Girardeau. Members don't actually quilt at the meetings — it serves as more of a social group for quilters and focuses on quilt education.

Barb Egbert, a nine-year member and former president of the guild, said the group has a good mix of novices and experts, and quilting is a passion for many members, but also they are friends having a good time.

River Heritage Quilters' Guild member Lynne Taylor holds a quilt she made that won Best in Show at an American Quilt Society show.Danny Walter

"We have a lot of fun, but we're also very serious about quilting." Egbert said.

Guild member Kathleen Wright now lives in Cape Girardeau, but said she first heard about the River Heritage quilt show when she lived in Illinois.

"When I found out about it, I was excited to find something beside the big American Quilt Society show in Paducah," Wright said. "I was impressed with the number of quilts and the workmanship they had at the show in Cape Girardeau."

Several River Heritage guild members have had their quilts accepted to be judged at the American Quilt Society show, which receives submissions from quilters all over the world. One of Taylor's quilts won Best in Show at an American Quilt competition and it hangs in the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky.

Merle Deneke, a charter member of the River Heritage guild, said the quilt she is most proud of is from a challenge the guild gave its members one year.

River Heritage Quilters' Guild member Barb Egbert holds up a quilt she made inspired by a children's book.Danny Walter

"We were given gift bags with three fabrics in it and had to use them in the quilt," Deneke said. "I didn't particularly like the bag I got because it had all the zodiac signs on it, and I'm not really into that. But I loved the quilt I made and named it 'Zodiac Moon and Sun.' I entered the quilt in the group category. Our guild got second place in that category, and we were just so excited."

Egbert said she participated in that challenge as well, when the guild submitted the quilts as a group to an American Quilt show in Paducah.

"The AQS shows are huge," Egbert said. "I know in Paducah there's like 30,000 people that descend upon that place. Our group won $1,000 for second place. The only problem is, they only gave us one ribbon. I don't even know which one of us ended up with it."

Taylor, who has made all the ribbons awarded at the River Heritage Quilt Show for each of its 13 years, said one of the most rewarding things about having a quilt judged is the comments they receive.

"The judges give some positive comments and some critiques," Taylor said. "It's a really good learning experience where you can find out what you could have done better. I think, as a quilter, you should improve every time and those critiques from the judges really help. But of course we all love to get ribbons, too."

Ribbons won by River Heritage Quilters' Guild members. All ribbons were made by Lynne Taylor.Danny Walter

Egbert agreed and said, "When it comes to these quilts being judged, we get serious. It's not about the prize money — it's about getting that ribbon."