Hundreds attend Airing of the Quilts event

LANDRUM — The already lush greenspace running along North Trade Street in downtown Landrum received an extra splash of color Saturday morning.

An array of vibrant patterns — ranging in color from pure white to deep crimson — flapped gently in the warm, summer breeze, while the delicate melodies of pitched percussion instruments filled the air. Visitors of all ages took their time strolling through the green that morning, taking in the sights and sounds while chatting with the many volunteers — clad in turquoise-colored T-shirts — who were responsible for creating the around 75 works of fabric art running down the stretch of downtown property.

Hundreds showed up to attend the Landrum Quilters’ Airing of the Quilts show that morning. The event gave members a chance to show off — and sell, in many cases — their quilts, with organizers also bringing in some live music, courtesy of Greenville Hammers and Harmony, as well as guest artists Patti Germann and Nancy Basket.

The weather did its part to make the show a success, with a mild breeze and temperature, and some sunshine poking through the overcast skies — a pleasant change from the rainy weather that pelted the area last month, when the Airing of the Quilts was originally scheduled to take place.

This year was the third time the Landrum Quilters put on the event. The show first took place in 2014, and has run every other year since, alternating with the organization’s Quilt Show.

“[The Airing of the Quilts is] a way for everyone to enjoy the quilts,” said Ellen Henderson, one of the organizers of Saturday’s event. “There are several places — Franklin, North Carolina, being the closest I know of — that host similar events to this. We thought it would be a fun thing to do here.”

Assisting the Landrum Quilters with the event were crews with the city of Landrum, who helped with logistics and putting up the giant clotheslines that displayed the quilts, and members of the Landrum Area Business Association, who helped distribute fliers promoting the show, Henderson said.

The community effort that made the Airing of the Quilts possible is just one of the partnerships the Landrum Quilters has sewn since its creation in 1980.

Originally formed as the Landrum Library Quilt Club, the group currently has around 115 members, hailing from Landrum and beyond, brought together by a passion for quilting and for passing the art form on to others. In addition to regular meetings, members gather once a month at the Gowensville Community Center for quilting bees, where they work on projects together, Henderson said.

What members are most proud of are not the quilts they produce and sell at shows such as the Airing of the Quilts, though, but the ones they create that are used for a good cause, Henderson said.

The Landrum Quilters supports the Ronald McDonald House of Greenville through donations of lap quilts for families. Closer to home, the group supports Columbus’ Steps to HOPE domestic abuse shelter, as well as the Hospice House of Landrum.

“[The quilters] are becoming a larger part of the whole community, and the community has really responded to that,” Henderson said.

For more information about the organization, people may visit landrumquilters.com.