Join area quilters and quilt enthusiasts at the 6th Annual Palmerton Library Quilt Show on Sunday, Oct. 14 from 12 - 4 p.m. and enjoy the beauty of fabric artistry. There is a $5 donation for admission.

The show will feature beautiful quilts made by area quilters. Prizes will be awarded for Best of Show. There will also be vendors selling quilt related items, door prizes and a great Chinese auction. The 1st prize for the door prize is a handmade Amish wall-hanging. You can enter to win a gorgeous handmade Amish quilt.

Meet Cheryl Hank, a certified "Quilt in a Day" instructor. She will be available to answer any questions about quilting.

Another person you will want to meet is Barb Garrett, a quilt historian. Barb can tell you approximately when your quilt was made. If interested, bring your quilt to the show to have Barb date it for you.

The quilt show is an annual fundraiser for the Palmerton Library. Palmerton has one of the most beautiful libraries in this area. The library's mezzanine and meeting room are a great place to show the quilts. However, like all libraries in Pennsylvania, Palmerton Library is faced with cut backs from the state and local governments.

Along with other fund raisers, such as the art and photography shows, the quilt show helps the library raise funds while showing off its facilities. What many people do not realize is how much the Palmerton Library helps the hikers on the Appalachian trail. Many hikers come into Palmerton to use the Borough's rest stop and e-mail family from the computers at the library.

Quilting is a big part of the history of this region. Many churches have large quilting groups that raise funds for their church. Although some groups have disbanded due to lost interest in Quilting, other groups are growing. Churches such as Dinkey Memorial in Ashfield, St. John's Church in Towamensing and Zion Church in Lehighton are still going strong. Other new groups have formed, like the quilters at the Summit Hill Heritage Center. Many members have belonged to the group for years and will help new people learn how to quilt.

If you ask friends and relatives about family quilts, you can hear all sorts of stories. One I personally remember is about a quilt made from funeral ribbons. After a family member died, his family collected all the ribbons from the flowers at the gravesite and sewed them into a quilt for his family. Another story is about a quilt that was going to be thrown away because it smelled terrible. The owner later found out the quilt was made in the 1800s and was probably never washed because of the delicate fabric used to make the quilt.

My husband's family has always been quilters. I cherish the quilts made by my husband's grandmother and mother, since they are now both deceased. Even though they are both no longer with me, I hold those quilts and think of them and the beautiful gifts they made for me. I am hoping my grandchildren will cherish the quilts I have made for them.

Some of my quilts and quilts from many other quilters will be on exhibit at the library's Quilt Show. Other items will also be exhibited, such as quilted clothing and purses. If you are interested in exhibiting your quilt, wall hanging, etc, please call the Palmerton Area Library at 610-826-3424.