By BARBARA
BARBIERI
Back in the 1980’s the Wells County Historical Society sponsored a yearly Quilt Show and for the one held in June of 1982 one of the quilt entries was one sponsored and quilted by the Cotton Patch (then a local fabric store located on South Johnson St. in Bluffton).
It was designed, appliquéed and quilted by women of Wells County and after taking honors in the Quilt Show was donated to the Wells County Creative Arts Council to be auctioned off during a Junefest Fund-raiser.
Janet Heller (Mrs. Donald) of Rockford in Rockcreek Twp. was the winner of the quilt. Most recently it again became the property of the Creative Arts Council and they in turn are donating it to the Historical Society—the place where a historical quilt should find a home.
Joyce Carney of Uniondale was the chairman of the committee that created the quilt under the leadership of Lucy Venis, owner of the Cotton Patch. Artists who designed the squares included Eva Rhodes, Roz Collins, Marcella Hart and Don Thompson with Venis and Virginia Johnson selecting the overall quilting pattern.
The appliqueing and sewing of the quilt blocks were done by the following county residents: Martha Eiche: Cardinal bird; Beverly Rich: Bridge and Deam Oak; Carolyn Huvendick: Indiana’s state flag, Church and Brown Squirrel; Marcella Phegley: Black Squirrel; Leota Kline: Map; Barbara Barbieri: Creative Arts Council logo; Marti Moser: Piano and Oil Derrick; Sarah Reinhard: Wells County Courthouse; Marion Skelton: Corn; Francis Smith: Ouabache Park; Lorene Metz: Iris; Diana Sell: Tulip Tree; Birdena Day: Quail; Mary Speheger: Indian, Farm and Red Squirrel; Martha Allen: Sports equipment, School, Pheasant, Fire Truck and Brown Squirrel.
At the quilt show Sell’s Tulip Tree took 1st place for Workmanship while Speheger’s Farm took 2nd place for workmanship.
The quilt also was displayed at a Berne Quilt show in 1982.
Creative Arts Council Executive Director Janiece Lipsey explains she doesn’t know how the quilt was back with her organization, but during the council’s move to the current site it was “uncovered.” And she explains, “We are glad they are willing to treasure it and give it a new home.”
