Beverly Johannsen, left, and Lynda Chancey, both of Port Clinton, discuss one of the dozens of quilts on display at the Quilt Regatta on July 15. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

BY SHERI TRUSTY For a time, it seemed as if the Ohio Star Quilters’ Guild wasn’t going to survive. COVID-19 forced the group to cancel its biennial quilt and fiber art show in 2020, and many members stopped attending meetings out of fear of getting sick. The group pushed through the slump, however, and this year launched a social media campaign, ultimately enjoying one of its biggest shows ever when it hosted a Quilt Regatta at Peace Lutheran Church on July 15-16. It was the guild’s first show in four years, and the preview work by members made it very successful.

Jody Gagnon of Catawba, left, teaches Lily Starnes of Fremont how to make pot holders. Pot holders were just one of the make-and-take crafts available at the Quilt Regatta. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

The show featured about 150 handcrafted items, including quilts and other fiber art works made by artisans such as knitters, crocheters and bead workers. “This has been phenomenal,” said Ohio Star Quilters’ Guild President Penny Hamlin. “We’ve had so many people come, and we’ve had lots of interest in the guild. That is great because we are always happy to have new members.” Diana Schenko, who chaired the Quilt Regatta committee, was grateful that many women had expressed interest in joining the guild. “We were ready to fail. We lost so many people during COVID,” she said. “We were down to 10 people, but we have close to 30 now.” Dozens of quilts were hung from the church ceiling during the Quilt Regatta, which also included make-and-take crafts, door prizes, and vendors like Perfectly Pink Quilt Studio out of Elmore. New to the Quilt Regatta this year was a Quilters Boutique which featured handcrafted items for sale. Guests could purchase tickets for a quilt raffle to benefit Ottawa County Family Advocacy’s GRANDlove program and Ruth Ann’s House.

Rita Price of Catawba walks amongst hanging quilts at the Quilt Regatta held at Peace Lutheran Church on July 15. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

Many of the people who attended the Quilt Regatta expressed admiration for the quantity and quality of quilts at the show, including Barbara McLaury of Catawba. “They are absolutely gorgeous, stunning works of art,” McLaury said. “The number of quilts here this year is amazing. We have a lot of local talent.” “The way they incorporate different designs instead of just using a piece of fabric is incredible,” Price said. “They have blown me away with their borders.” The Ohio Star Quilters’ Guild meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Peace Lutheran Church. Members come from several towns, including Oak Harbor, Genoa and Sandusky. During the meetings, members discuss guild business, plan events and enjoy demonstrations or special speakers. Casual meetings, where members socialize and work on individual projects, are held every Monday at 10 a.m. at Ida Rupp Public Library.