Blanket the walls with beauty

By Lennie Bennett
Published May 23, 2007

Today, Friday and Saturday, there's a lot to wrap yourself around during "Applique in Tampa Bay, " the National Quilt Show and Conference at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, 2900 Bayport Drive, Tampa.

More than 300 quilts submitted from around the United States, Canada and Mexico will be on display in the hotel's ballroom. All are made by the applique process, in which patterns are created by sewing pieces of fabric onto a larger background, often with added decoration such as paint. Shown here is an example by Sonja Ohlmann of Canada .

The event is sponsored by the Applique Society, based in Washington, and its local chapter, the Feather Princesses. That group has spent two years making a hand-sewn and painted bed-sized quilt covered with tropical flowers for which visitors may buy opportunity tickets during the three-day event.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and admission is $5. The conference also offers classes and lectures by applique authors and artists including Gwen Marston, Mary Sorensen, Nancy Pearson, Linda Poole and Linda Carlson. Information about registration and fees is available at the check-in desk.

[Last modified May 23, 2007, 14:23:17]