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Posted: 06/20/12

Colorful quilt top prize
in 7th annual raffle

by CHRIS GRAY
Observer Staff Writer

      The Samaritan House aims to bring some pizzazz to one lucky winner in the name of helping others.
       Tickets are now on sale for the non-profit's 7th Annual Heirloom Quilt Raffle, with proceeds contributing to assisting low-income families in the local area.
       Tickets are $5 each or three for $10. The winning tickets will be drawn Oct. 7 at the Harvest Time Walk at St. John Lutheran Church on Benjamin Street.
       The grand prize is the unique heirloom quilt named "Pizzazz." Second place will win a vintage quilt while third place will receive a tea for two gift basket from the Octagon House.
       Jo Hearon, a volunteer with Samaritan House, is the driving force behind the quilt raffles. For this year's pattern, she said she wanted to use vivid Amish colors, and had the help of fellow volunteer Linda Willen in designing the color pallette.
       "Every year we try to do something that is a little different," Hearon said. "We try to appeal to a wide variety of different patterns, colors, tastes, to keep everyone interested."
       Multi-colored pieces of fabric were sewn together in a zig-zag pattern with a technique known as bargello. The quilt itself is larger than in past years, which Hearon called a "very generous queen."
       "This is probably the most difficult of all the quilts we made in the past because you had to really stay focused to keep the colors lined up and to also match the seams," she said.
       Last year's quilt, which featured floral patterns using vintage handkerchiefs, brought in $4,000 in funds for the Samaritan House. The raffles have brought in $25,000 since they began, with proceeds going to the organization's food pantry, emergency utility and rent assistance programs.
       Hearon said a faithful group of volunteers help make the quilts a reality each year, including the annual contribution from Liz Gray of Three Sisters Quilting in St. Helen providing machine quilting services.
       "(The volunteers) just came through beautifully, we got it done in one day," she said. "We have a lot of talented ladies that all jump in and pitch in."
       Jan Alling of Romeo was one of the volunteers to help put the quilt together. She used a fabric cutting machine to prepare the strips of fabric to ensure they were sized accurately.
       "I cut many hours off our being able to do it," she said. "Mine was a very minute part, it's like running it through a washing machine."
       She said she volunteers with Samaritan House, but this was the first time she took part in helping out with the quilt.
       "I'm always amazed with how wonderful it turns out," she said. "It's a great fundraiser for Samaritan House."
       Hearon said next year's quilt is already in the works, with ideas including a barn quilt and a butterfly vintage quilt.
       For more information, call the Samaritan House at (586) 336-9956.