Red, black and white blocks completed last year and displayed at the 2024 fair were pieced together in a quilt to be sold. There are 37 blocks are included in the king-sized quilt.
The completed quilt will be sold Sunday at the Gage County Fair. All proceeds are used for Gage County Ag Society scholarships.
The completed quilt from the first year of the challenge was displayed in Ag Hall before it was sold at the Premium Auction.
The Gage County Fair Block Challenge started three years ago.
Quilt Stitches owner Ann Riechers said a customer from Lincoln came into the store and told her about a similar project in southern Kansas.
“I contacted some people and learned more about how we could make it work,” she said. “I thought the Gage County Ag Society was a great cause and they decided to use the funds for scholarships.”
Customers purchase kits at Quilt Stitches with three fabrics. The blocks have to be exactly 12½ inches, although quilter has the option to use the fabrics in any design they choose. The block is entered into the open class area at the fair, where the blocks are judged.
After the fair, Riechers keeps the completed blocks and assembles the quilt. It is displayed at the fair the following year and auctioned during the Sunday afternoon Premium Auction.
The first year the fabrics were blue and white, making a quilt that included 30 blocks. At the auction in 2024, it was sold three different times before being purchased by Bev Acton and sold again in the silent auction at the Cattlemen’s Ball in June.
The quilt that will be auctioned this year is made up of red, white and black fabrics. It includes 37 blocks and is a king-sized quilt. Three blocks were selected as the judges’ favorites.
The auction is being held in the livestock barn at 3 p.m. Sunday. All the proceeds will again go to the Gage County Ag Society Scholarship Fund.
Riechers said people of all ages and skill levels complete blocks.
Sloane Esau, 9, did her first quilt block in the challenge this year with her grandma, Jane.
“We each did a block and helped each other,” she said. “Grandma had extra fabric from other sewing projects, and I learned how to sew in a straight line by practicing on the scraps. It took a lot of time and practice.”
She said they tried to pick an easy design.
“We tried to find something easy since I’m just starting out. We used white thread to make it stand out on the colored fabrics. I learned a lot and it was a lot of fun,” she said.
Next year’s block kits include floral prints with green, mauve and cream colored fabrics. Kits are currently available for purchase for the quilt to be judged at the 2026 Gage County Fair.
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The Gage County Fairgrounds saw a steady stream of traffic as exhibitors brought their projects to be checked in for judging.
Red, black and white blocks completed last year and displayed at the 2024 fair were pieced together in a quilt to be sold. There are 37 blocks are included in the king-sized quilt.
The completed quilt will be sold Sunday at the Gage County Fair. All proceeds are used for Gage County Ag Society scholarships.
The completed quilt from the first year of the challenge was displayed in Ag Hall before it was sold at the Premium Auction.
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