VOORHEESVILLE — During our annual Martin Luther King sew day, four teams of two quilters each from the Voorheesville Village Quilters gathered in the Community Room at the Voorheesville Public Library to participate in an Iron Quilt Challenge.  Organized by Education Coordinator Julie Stump, each team was allowed to bring sewing machines, whatever tools they members thought they would need, and half-a-yard of fabric per person.

The teams — composed of Sue Renker and Christa Rittner, Kathy Davis and Joyce Eves, Joyce Laiosa and Julie Stump, and Julie-Ann Fortran and Mary Fran Verostek — were each given a large bin of fabric, instructions regarding the finished size of the quilt (between 36 and 42 inches wide and between 50 and 60 inches long), the theme of the quilt (spring, summer, fall, or winter) and a mere five hours to finish the quilt top.

Timekeeper Linda Hodges kept us on schedule with regards to breaks for lunch and time remaining. Once our time was up, the completed pieces were pinned to the wall for a final viewing, then whisked away for a closer examination by judges: Michelle Reilly from the Voorheesville Public Library; Kris Driessen, owner of the Quilt Bug in Guilderland; and Ardyce Elmore, the current president of Q.U.I.L.T. Inc. in Delmar.

Pieces were judged on their size, degree of difficulty and creativity, workmanship, appropriateness to the theme, level of completion, and overall appeal. Kathy Davis and Joyce Eves came in first with summer, Joyce Laiosa and Julie Stump came in second with fall, Julie-Ann Fortran and Mary Fran Verostek came in third with winter, and Sue Renker and Christa Rittner were last with spring.

Prizes consisted of a quilting weekend at Pups-N-Stitches; a place for weekend quilt retreats; gift certificates; and, of course, fabric! Overall, the participants felt this was a challenging exercise and a lot of fun, and hope to repeat it next year.

Editor’s note: Julie-Ann Fortran is the leader of the Voorheesville Village Quilters.