FORT LARAMIE – Recently I attended the Goshen County Quilt Show that was held in the Fort Laramie Community Center in Fort Laramie. As always, it was a wonderful showing of beautiful and interesting quilts by people of all ages in our community. There’s always a variety of designs and some interesting stories attached to the quilts about how and when they were made. There’s also a section of the room that is a small store with handmade items for sale, and I found a couple cute wall hangings for great grandkids. Every year I find great gift items in that area and it is always fun to see what’s new.

There was also a room next to the little shop called the Comfort Room that was full of beautiful quilts of all sizes. Barb Dyer was in charge of that room and explained to me what that room was for. All the handmade items in the Comfort Room were to be donated to people in need. They have given quilts to foster children, veterans and wounded soldiers, St. Joseph’s children, fund raisers such as Gracie’s Promise, flood and range fire victims, and many more needs that they hear about. They even give many seniors a handmade place mat and a coffee cup as gifts. Recently they gave 3 quilts to people involved in the canal breach in the Lingle area. I was really impressed with all of the thoughtful things the ladies do for the community, and their thoughtful expressions of love for others.

The quilters give classes on techniques for new quilting ideas and projects to do also. They meet the second Saturday of each month at the Platte Valley Bank Community Room and bring their machines and work together for the day. It’s a wonderful bunch of gals and they have a great time together. There are around 70 women involved and I know there are many more that would be interested.

When I left, I was thinking about all the new people moving into our area and wondering if some of them were quilters. What a great opportunity it would be for them to get together with these great ladies and sew together and develop new friendships in our community. Many of my friends are quilters and I know they are always going to workshops and learning new techniques, and discovering new gift items to give to family and friends and to donate to the Comfort Room. You can call Barb Dyer, 307-837-0150, or Jane Dorn at 307-640-4002 for more information, or check at our wonderful fabric store, Sew Addictive, and they will be happy to help you get started. Winter is coming, so it’s a good time to get started making that warm, cozy quilt for the cold weather coming.