Local quilt will head to big event

Marlene Oddie, of Grand Coulee, is a semi-finalist in the American Quilter’s Society “QuiltWeek” show set for Oct. 2-5, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Her quilt “Rosie’s Bomb” will compete with 176 others in the annual contest. First-, second- and third-place honors will go to quilters in five categories, a press release from the AQS national museum in Paducah, Kent. stated.

Best of show will receive $10,000, with best hand, machine and longarm workmanship receiving $5,000 each. A total of $44,000 will be granted overall.

Oddie, who started quilting in 2001, owns the KISSed Quilts shop on Midway and Main in Grand Coulee. Her quilt has been hanging in the local chamber of commerce office, and will go to Des Moines in time for the show and will hang with the other 176 semi-finalist quilts.

Some 15,000 visitors are expected to attend the show.

“Extraordinary quilts are being made by today’s quilters, and the contest quilts represent an extensive variety of styles, sizes and techniques,” AQS founder and president Meredith Schroeder said. “Each quilt in the show is an intricate, creative work of art to enjoy.”

Quilts for the show come from 37 states and five other countries.

The American Quilter’s Society hosts four shows annually, each with its own quilt contest. Other shows are in Paducah, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.