Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show

Finally, the reason we decided to take a trip out west! Sisters, Oregon, is located just inside the Deschutes National Forest, and while it isn't in the mountains, it is named for the Three Sisters mountains located near by.

Along with many summer and recreational activities, Sisters is home of the Sisters Outdoor Quilts Show, a one-day show of quilts on the second Saturday in July.

They had over 1300 quilts for the show. Where do you put 1300 quilts? Everywhere! 1300 quilts is a lot…and I’m sure I didn’t see them all, although the number of photos I took might convince you otherwise.

Even more amazing is that all 1300 quilts get hung in 1.5 hours. They must do some serious planning with many volunteers for that to happen.

This is the Stitchin’ Post. Yes, it’s a common name for quilt shops. Yes, it’s big and they have a lot of fabric. Yes, there was a line to buy fabric. Yes, I bought fabric.

There are several events that happen the week before the show, including special displays. When we went in to one place to see the displays, I noticed that the sun was shining though the quilts that were hanging on the outside of these windows. And no, I don't know who that woman is.

I also got to see my quilt, Twilight Descends, from the back with light shining through, even though I used a black fabric for the backing. The downside of seeing the sun through the quilts was that it was sunny and hot. I know, it’s a dry heat, but it’s still hot in the sun.

The parts that cover the windows are made with a strong netting, so you can see through it and actually drive it. I don’t plan on making one any time soon. This car had a good parking space. Even though we arrived 15 minutes after the show officially opened at 9:30 am, we still had to park alongside the highway and walk a good distance. So if you're going to go, show up early, wear comfy shoes, and bring your sunscreen!

To see more photos of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, go here: Sisters Quilts on Flickr or visit my quilting blog For Quilts Sake.

Lodging and Dining :
We didn't stay in Sisters, although they do have several resort-types of lodging near by. They fill up quick, so plan ahead. We (and several other quilters) stayed in Redmond, with was half an hour away. Bend is also half an hour away, and it’s a little larger than Redmond, so it might have more options.