By Jondi Gumz
Each year, Karen Foster looks forward to the Pajaro Valley Quilt Association’s annual show. It’s a showcase of more than 300 quilts, and an opportunity to find inspiration for her next project at the “bargain garden” of donated fabrics and notions.
Karen Foster will be the featured speaker Saturday at 2 p.m.
Foster, 62, of Capitola, describes herself as an improvisational quilter.
For her, quilting is all about creativity.
“I like to try to make it my own,” she said.
Born and raised in Santa Cruz, she learned to sew in 4-H and dabbled in painting, then dove in to quilting until about a dozen years ago.
She made a quilt for a friend having a baby and she was off and running.
While some quilters are all about executing a pattern, Foster said, “I prefer working organically.”
Indeed she has.
Some of the quilts you’ll see at the show:
Predictable, in which turquoise and fuchsia colors echo those in the Venetian Hotel in Capitola.
Reflections, featuring colorful components made by members of Bee Sewcial, an international quilting bee.
Night Fancy, in which undulating strips of green and blue turn into the deep dark ocean currents.
Her work is recognized beyond our borders.
In August, her creation featuring Dresden blades with the flying geese was stitched together with Aurifil 12-weight thread.
Her work was selected for QuiltCon 2024, presented by the Modern Quilt Guild Feb. 22-25 in Raleigh, N.C. — one selection being “Reflections” and the other a work of denim.
That show offers a $1,000 prize for the best original modern design, a $5,000 best of show and a $1,000 people’s choice.
For Foster, the prize money is not the motivation, but she does like to share her work at her illustrated blog, “Capitola quilter.”
As she says, “There isn’t a color I don’t like.”
The Pajaro Valley Quilt Association show fills three buildings and offers many special features: An exhibit of pandemic flotsam quilts — repurposing surgical masks and gloves found on the street in Oakland and Berkeley, created by Bay Area artist Jenny Hurth, wearable quilts, a challenge of creating repurposed and sustainable wearables, “Bed Turning” with stories behind a number of quilts, which takes place multiple times, demonstrations, the bargain garden, a chance to win the raffle quilt, and a live auction of quilts Sunday afternoon. Admission is $15.
Lunch and snacks will be sold.
Find details at www.pvqa.org and click on the Quilt Show tab.
Covid policy of Fairgrounds enforced. Parking is free and a shuttle will bring you to the show.