Two sections of "Rework Revival," a quilt made by members of the McKinney Quilters Guild, are pictured Friday during the 35th Annual Tyler Quilt Show. The show, "Scraps! Quintessentially American," is open 10 am to 5 p.m. March 18-19 with exhibits, vendors, demonstrations, a silent auction and raffle. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

The 35th annual Tyler Quilt Show, which continues through Saturday, brought thousands of people to Tyler to admire the hard work and dedication of quilters from all over East Texas.

The Quilters Guild of East Texas, founded in 1981, bring together hobbyists and professionals once a year to show off their handiwork at Harvey Convention Center. This year’s show, which is themed “Scraps,” began Friday and challenged quilters to create a work of art using scraps. 

Show Chairman Cecilia Brannon expected about 2,000 people to visit the show Friday and Saturday. More than 200 quilts are on display and dozens of vendors setup shop to promote their products and services.

Brannon, a retired seamstress, uses quilting as a form of stress relief.

“It’s a creative process that allows expression,” Mrs. Brannon said. “I retired 10 years ago. My sewing machine when I was working had an 11 o’clock curfew imposed by my husband, because I would come home from work tired and still sit at my sewing machine for another three hours. I was tired, but I was relaxed.”

Brannon said she switched to machine quilting in 1995 and still is learning. This year she received the Exemplary Machine Quilting Award.

“This is the ultimate for me,” she said.

Brannon already has a quilt selected for the 2017 show and will be working on others through out the year. Next year’s theme is “Home is where the heart is.”

“It’s the passion. It’s therapy for me, because it forces me to focus on something else,” she said.

Twitter: @TMT_Cory

 

IF YOU GO

What: The 35th annual Tyler Quilt Show

 

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

Where: Harvey Convention Center, 2000 W. Front St. 

Cost: General admission is $7; seniors and children younger than 12 pay $6