Annual quilt show opens at the WOWSPACE

A quilt entered in the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933 will be on display at the annual Walls of Wittenberg quilt show, which opens Saturday and continues through Feb. 3 at the WOWSPACE in Wittenberg.
“The Art of the Quilter V: Stitches in Time” will also feature a variety of quilts from local quilters.
Erma Schmidt, of Birnamwood, was a farmer’s wife busy with four children when she created the quilt for the Century of Progress International Exposition. She received a green ribbon (fifth place) for her handiwork.
“It feels wonderfully amazing to have my grandmother’s quilt featured at the quilt show,” said Karen Schairer, of Birnamwood. “She was a very special and hardworking lady who would have been very humbled at having her work displayed. I’m so proud of her.”
Event coordinator Mary Koeppel, who has been a quilter all her adult life, joined Walls of Wittenberg three years ago after being impressed by the quality of the quilt shows and that WOW considered quilts to be works of art. It was a natural progression for her to head up the annual show.
“It’s a lot of work to pull together a show, and I couldn’t do it without the help of these very talented quilters,” Koeppel said.
Koeppel is a member of the Quilting Friends of Hatley, who meet regularly and go on weekend retreats twice a year at Waypost Bible Camp on Mission Lake. She said a quilt can take 50 to 60 hours to create, between the piecing and the quilting and the many choices to be made regarding colors and patterns.
Koeppel invited Lois Wilhem, owner of Pie Safe Quilts in Schofield, to be a guest speaker at a free trunk show at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Wittenberg Community Center, 208 W. Vinal St. Wilhelm is a member of the Pine Tree Quilters Guild in Schofield and has spoken extensively on the quilting styles during the Great Depression. She will discuss her quilts and her experience working with reproduction fabrics of the 1930s.
“I’m a little obsessed with the 1930s,” Koeppel said, noting several people have approached her to say they have quilts from that era. She said she is considering an heirloom quilt show in the future.
“The Art of the Quilter V: Stitches in Time” is a non-juried, non-judged show. First-, second- and third-place People’s Choice awards will be presented. New this year, an Award of Excellence winner will be selected by a committee of award-winning quilters.
There will also be demonstrations of quilting techniques and projects each Saturday at 1 p.m. with different quilters providing tips and answering questions.
Admission to the show, sponsored by Applewood Lane Alpacas and Central Wisconsin Electrical Cooperative, is free.

A quilt entered in the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933 will be on display at the annual Walls of Wittenberg quilt show, which opens Saturday and continues through Feb. 3 at the WOWSPACE in Wittenberg.
“The Art of the Quilter V: Stitches in Time” will also feature a variety of quilts from local quilters.
Erma Schmidt, of Birnamwood, was a farmer’s wife busy with four children when she created the quilt for the Century of Progress International Exposition. She received a green ribbon (fifth place) for her handiwork.
“It feels wonderfully amazing to have my grandmother’s quilt featured at the quilt show,” said Karen Schairer, of Birnamwood. “She was a very special and hardworking lady who would have been very humbled at having her work displayed. I’m so proud of her.”
Event coordinator Mary Koeppel, who has been a quilter all her adult life, joined Walls of Wittenberg three years ago after being impressed by the quality of the quilt shows and that WOW considered quilts to be works of art. It was a natural progression for her to head up the annual show.
“It’s a lot of work to pull together a show, and I couldn’t do it without the help of these very talented quilters,” Koeppel said.
Koeppel is a member of the Quilting Friends of Hatley, who meet regularly and go on weekend retreats twice a year at Waypost Bible Camp on Mission Lake. She said a quilt can take 50 to 60 hours to create, between the piecing and the quilting and the many choices to be made regarding colors and patterns.
Koeppel invited Lois Wilhem, owner of Pie Safe Quilts in Schofield, to be a guest speaker at a free trunk show at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Wittenberg Community Center, 208 W. Vinal St. Wilhelm is a member of the Pine Tree Quilters Guild in Schofield and has spoken extensively on the quilting styles during the Great Depression. She will discuss her quilts and her experience working with reproduction fabrics of the 1930s.
“I’m a little obsessed with the 1930s,” Koeppel said, noting several people have approached her to say they have quilts from that era. She said she is considering an heirloom quilt show in the future.
“The Art of the Quilter V: Stitches in Time” is a non-juried, non-judged show. First-, second- and third-place People’s Choice awards will be presented. New this year, an Award of Excellence winner will be selected by a committee of award-winning quilters.
There will also be demonstrations of quilting techniques and projects each Saturday at 1 p.m. with different quilters providing tips and answering questions.
Admission to the show, sponsored by Applewood Lane Alpacas and Central Wisconsin Electrical Cooperative, is free.

A quilt entered in the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933 will be on display at the annual Walls of Wittenberg quilt show, which opens Saturday and continues through Feb. 3 at the WOWSPACE in Wittenberg.
“The Art of the Quilter V: Stitches in Time” will also feature a variety of quilts from local quilters.
Erma Schmidt, of Birnamwood, was a farmer’s wife busy with four children when she created the quilt for the Century of Progress International Exposition. She received a green ribbon (fifth place) for her handiwork.
“It feels wonderfully amazing to have my grandmother’s quilt featured at the quilt show,” said Karen Schairer, of Birnamwood. “She was a very special and hardworking lady who would have been very humbled at having her work displayed. I’m so proud of her.”
Event coordinator Mary Koeppel, who has been a quilter all her adult life, joined Walls of Wittenberg three years ago after being impressed by the quality of the quilt shows and that WOW considered quilts to be works of art. It was a natural progression for her to head up the annual show.
“It’s a lot of work to pull together a show, and I couldn’t do it without the help of these very talented quilters,” Koeppel said.
Koeppel is a member of the Quilting Friends of Hatley, who meet regularly and go on weekend retreats twice a year at Waypost Bible Camp on Mission Lake. She said a quilt can take 50 to 60 hours to create, between the piecing and the quilting and the many choices to be made regarding colors and patterns.
Koeppel invited Lois Wilhem, owner of Pie Safe Quilts in Schofield, to be a guest speaker at a free trunk show at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Wittenberg Community Center, 208 W. Vinal St. Wilhelm is a member of the Pine Tree Quilters Guild in Schofield and has spoken extensively on the quilting styles during the Great Depression. She will discuss her quilts and her experience working with reproduction fabrics of the 1930s.
“I’m a little obsessed with the 1930s,” Koeppel said, noting several people have approached her to say they have quilts from that era. She said she is considering an heirloom quilt show in the future.
“The Art of the Quilter V: Stitches in Time” is a non-juried, non-judged show. First-, second- and third-place People’s Choice awards will be presented. New this year, an Award of Excellence winner will be selected by a committee of award-winning quilters.
There will also be demonstrations of quilting techniques and projects each Saturday at 1 p.m. with different quilters providing tips and answering questions.
Admission to the show, sponsored by Applewood Lane Alpacas and Central Wisconsin Electrical Cooperative, is free.

AT A GLANCE
WHAT: “The Art of the Quilter V: Stitches in Time”
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Jan. 19 through Feb. 3
WHERE: WOWSPACE, 114 Vinal St., Wittenberg
FYI: For information, call 715-253-3525 or visit www.wallsofwittenberg.com.