Sylvester woman’s quilts place at Georgia National Fair
Pamela Lightfoot made two quilts from which she earned multiple awards at the Georgia National Fair in October
By Gypsy Crow
SYLVESTER — Pamela Lightfoot, a resident of Sylvester, won two blue ribbons, the June Campbell Hand Quilting Award, the Ribbon of Excellence and Best of Show at the Georgia National Fair last month for two of her quilts.
Lightfoot, who has been quilting for 21 years, specializes in the Hawaiian style of quilting.
Lightfoot said she got into the craft because she said she loves working with her hands and being creative. She said she mostly enjoys quilting for the stress relief it offers.
Her quilt “Silversword,” with a pattern by Marge Kerr, was entered into the hand-quilting category where it won the June Campbell award and a blue ribbon. It was named for an Hawaiian flower that dies after it blooms.
“Hawaiian quilting patterns start with an idea of maybe a flower or a turtle,” Lightfoot said. “Then the pattern is made like a snowflake from paper. Then you pick two contrasting fabrics. The motif is your pattern, and you fold it just like you would the snowflake. Then you cut your pattern out and bast it to the larger piece of fabric. Next you would needle turn the motif to the backing. Then you need to find batting and backing so this can now be basted together so the hand-quilting can start.
“This is called echo quilting which means that the first time around you would stitch in the ditch, and then from that, 5/8’ each time you go around the pattern which is called echo quilting.”
She explained that traditional Hawaiian quilting is call created by hand from the needle turn appliqué to the echo quilting. The needle turn appliqué is where shapes of fabric are cut out and sewn to a different piece of fabric, allowing for an exposed edge free piece without the need for a sewing machine.
Among Lightfoot’s other Hawaiian quilts is her “Haleakala Sunrise,” with a pattern by Sarah Ann Smith. “Haleakala” means house of the sun. The quilt took two-and-a-half years to complete and is 92 inches by 112 inches. It is her favorite quilt, and it won a blue ribbon and Best of Show in hand-quilting.
Other than Hawaiian quilts, Lightfoot said she would like to try a jelly roll rug and fabric bowls.
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