Update on Mennonite Relief Sale

So, I've been seeing some of the financial numbers that have been coming in from the 46th annual Mennonite Relief Sale last Saturday held in New Hamburg, link here for more information. Impressive. And good work for a good cause, from everyone who donated time and money to make and buy items for auction.  Very  moving.

Fiesta, by women of the
Ottawa Mennonite Church

Underground Railway
by Florence Schlegel, Tavistock

Some of the numbers:

• Total raised for 2012:  $335,000
• Total raised in the last 10 years:  $3.5 million.
• The feature quilt, Fiesta, made by women from the Ottawa Mennonite Church, raised $3,200.
• Underground Railway, made by , was the highest price quilt, and raised $6,700.
• More than 2000 volunteers made quilts, furniture and food for auction.

Isn't that all amazing?!

N.B. Numbers all from the Waterloo Region Record, Tuesday, May 29, 2012, p. B4

New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale

Talk about a quilt buzz!  I went to the Quilt Preview for the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale today in New Hamburg. Tomorrow is the Quilt Auction for one of Canada's largest quilt auctions.

One could take a look at the quilts today and register for the auction. I hadn't been to the preview or the auction before, and I'm thrilled to have checked this one off. There were excited quilt enthusiasts like no other. It is one thing to see such quilt beauty all in one show, quite another to think of the prospect of bidding on and owning such an item!

I noticed people moving up and down the rows of quilts, taking notes on quiltmakers, colours, item numbers, etc.

And these people were not all quiltmaker types you encounter at the usual quilt shows. There were a lot of people there who looked serious about buying. It would be interesting to see who buys what, but that will have to wait for another year for me.

I saw a lot of other activities related to the Mennonite Central Committee. It was apparent that this was a fundraiser, with fun and food for all. Early tomorrow, strawberry pies go on sale. Apparently they sell out fast! And the line-ups to get yummy Mennonite food were all 100 people deep. And I also saw quite a large number of Mennonite people of all ages there. So while the quilt excitement was palpable, it was the entire experience of exitement that was so enjoyable.

So that's it for me for this year's St. Jacobs Quilt & Fibre Art Festival. I've been to every venue on the list, every show, every community! Quite a marathon of quilts. Next week I will turn my attention to Quilt Canada in Halifax. I'll have a few days off from quilt shows, and will be ready by then. Stay tuned for more quilt stories.