BECCA MARTIN-BROWN

bmartin@nwaonline.com

Beyond beauty — and a chance to learn more about a traditional American artform — how does a quilt show benefit the community, you might ask.

Well, in the case of Tomorrow’s Heirlooms XVIII, presented this Friday and Saturday by Quilters United in Learning Together, the daily admission cost will support QUILT’s charitable efforts. In the past four years, QUILT has donated more than 600 holiday placemats and stockings to area senior centers and more than 400 quilts to local community organizations and nonprofits as well as materials and funding for local youth programs and awards for area county fairs.

For visitors, Tomorrow’s Heirlooms XVIII will simply be a feast for the eyes, with more than 340 quilts on display, all created by members of the QUILT guild who participate from as far away as Eureka Springs and Springfield, Mo.

“You’ll see a lot of everything,” promises Helen Hefner, co-chairman of the event with Diane Crandell. “A lot of modern quilts, traditional quilts, pictorial quilts…”

“Mixed media,” Crandell picks up the sentence. “Beading, yoyos, embroidery…”

“Experts along with first-time quilters and children,” Hefner adds. “Quilters just like to share — and people like to come, especially other quilters.”

Hefner started quilting 50 years ago. She knows exactly when, because she was inspired to make a baby quilt for her son.

Crandell says when she graduated from college for the second time, she decided she wanted to learn to quilt and joined a guild in Plano, Texas. “The rest is history.”

In addition to the quilts on display, the QUILT guild will have a gift shop, and there will be 28 vendors “from different branches of the profession.” The two-day event also includes a quilt appraiser, a raffle quilt, the Quilting Treasures Bed Turning and a food vendor.

At 1 p.m. Friday, four “Quilting Treasures” — longtime QUILT members — will be presenting and talking about their quilts.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, there will be a small quilt auction with a professional auctioneer.

And at 3 p.m. Saturday, the winner of the raffle quilt will be selected.

Quilters United in Learning Together was formed in August 1985 in Springdale “to promote the appreciation of the rich heritage of the art of quilting and to enhance each member’s own quilting skills and knowledge and to expand and enrich the art of quilting for future generations.” The group meets at 6 p.m. the fourth Thursday of each month at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Springdale.

FAQ

Tomorrow’s Heirlooms XVIII

WHEN — 9 a.m.-6 p.m. April 21; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 22

WHERE — Benton County Fairgrounds in Bentonville

COST — $10 adults; $5 ages 13-18

INFO — www.quiltguildnwa.com