EMMETT, Idaho — Emmett's Cherry Festival is almost here, and the Valley of Plenty Quilters are marking the occasion with their 42nd annual quilt show — and a special tribute to America's 250th birthday.
The group brings together 50 women from across the Treasure Valley — including members from Emmett, Meridian, Fruitland, Sweetwater, Eagle and beyond — who all share a love of quilting. The club has a waiting list to join, with membership capped at 50 due to space.
Cinda Jensen has been a member for 20 years, following in the footsteps of her mother, who was a member before her.
"It's just meant everything. We're just like sisters. We just enjoy each other, and there are 50 members, so we're pretty busy," Jensen said.
Watch to see the Valley of Plenty Quilters' tribute to America's 250th birthday.
The club meets weekly, with each Thursday serving a different purpose. The first Thursday of the month is a business meeting with a potluck. The second week features a learning workshop. A few times a year, the group holds what they call stay-at-home retreats — members bring their sewing machines, sew together for 3 days and return home to sleep before coming back to sew again. Members also participate in an annual Shop Hop, visiting quilt shops across the region together.
"We share what we have," said President Cyndi Buttici, who has been a member for 3 years and took on the president role July of last year.
One of the highlights of this year's show is the raffle quilt — a collaborative creation designed by member Sue Crawford and built piece by piece, with each member contributing a section before the final design is assembled. Raffle tickets are five dollars for three or two dollars for one, and are sold right at the door when visitors arrive at the show. A portion of the proceeds support local organizations and projects in Emmett, with funds distributed.
"This is a raffle quilt and different ladies in the club made different parts of the quilt," Jensen said.
The club always works on two quilts at once — the current president oversees the America 250 tribute quilt while also selecting the design for the following year's raffle quilt, giving the next president a head start. Next year's raffle quilt is already in progress, led by member Margie Lang.
This year, Buttici's president project became the America 250 landscape quilt — an idea that came to her the day after the Fourth of July while cleaning up after a party.
"I thought, oh man, next year's the big one. We need to do something with the club," Buttici said.
The idea took shape quickly. Buttici called a few members, and the response was unanimous.
"The Butte means a lot to us, and we're the Valley of Plenty quilters, so all of those things just kind of gelled up," Buttici said.
The quilt features apples representing the area's many orchards, cherries for the Cherry Festival, the Payette River, the surrounding landscape and two buttes — a smaller butte and the iconic Squaw Butte behind Emmett. Most members contributed an individual block around the edge, while the group worked together on the center. An eagle soars over the butte in the design. Sue Crawford spearheaded the project and named the quilt.
Unlike the raffle quilt, the America 250 tribute quilt will not be raffled off. It will be donated to the Gem County Annex — the county's new office building — where it will be displayed for the community.
Beyond quilts, the group is also active in philanthropy. Members make quilts for local families who have lost homes to fire or other disasters, donate to Thousand Hills Foundation — which supports foster care families — and contribute to the Rose Advocates women and children's shelter.
Related | Emmett's Thousand Hills Foundation helps foster kids, families and youth aging out of the system
"Our quilt show lets us be able to help financially, but the other things we help with are quilts and homemade items," Buttici said.
For members, the group is about much more than quilting.
"We're really proud to be part of this community, and we love it here, and we like to be an assistance if there are things that we can help with. We would like to be part of that," Buttici said.
Jensen said the friendships she has built through the club have been one of the greatest gifts of membership.
"I've enjoyed all these ladies that I would never have met had I not joined the club."
Those interested in supporting the group can reach the Valley of Plenty Quilters by mail at P.O. Box 804, Emmett, Idaho 83617.
The 42nd annual quilt show runs June 18 through June 20 at the Emmett Nazarene Church on the hill at the top of Washington Street in Emmett. Signs will be posted to guide visitors.
