A guest in Sara Velder’s home never worries about being too cold. Sara, right, gets a little help from guild member Laura Grundman as she flips through the many beautiful quilts she keeps on top of the beds in her home’s guest rooms.

Featured quilter Sara Velder stands beside an antique pie case that she converted to hold her “spooktacular” quilts. These quilts, along with much more of Sara’s work, will be on display at this year’s Heritage Needlework Guild Quilt Show.

If you’re a fan of colorful quilts and intricate needlework, you don’t want to miss this year’s Heritage Needlework Guild’s Quilt Show, held during the Applejack Festival in Nebraska City, Nebraska.

This year’s Quilt and Needlework Show will be in a new location . . . First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 315 S. 16th Street. Dates for the show are: Friday, September 19, 4:00-7:00 p.m.; Saturday, September 20, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; and Sunday, September 21, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Considered one of the best quilt and needlework shows in southeast Nebraska, people flock to this show to view over 100 member-made quilts and other needlework items on display. There is also a special display of dozens of quilts created by Sara Velder, this year’s featured quilter. Sara’s quilting talents are sure to provide an entertaining display of beautiful, whimsical, and, sometimes, spooky quilts.

Since Halloween is one of Sara’s favorite holidays, she will add her own ‘spooky’ vibe to this year’s show. Over the years, Sara has made scores of Halloween-themed quilts, which will be a welcome sight with October just around the corner from the Applejack Festival.

Sara comes from a long line of Otoe County quilters. She grew up watching her grandmother Elsie (Staack) France and mother Norma Gene (France) Anderson piece hundreds of quilts. “I started making tied comforters in the 1970s and later began piecing quilts,” Sara said. Finding a quilt to cuddle under is never a problem in Sara’s home. The beds in both guest rooms are used to store dozens of quilts, ready for her guests to grab and use during a visit. Sara stressed that all her quilts were made to be used, not just admired. “I have probably made 500 plus quilts, give or take a few,” she said with a laugh.

In 2006, Sara started her own longarm quilting business, Acorn Ridge Quilting. Using her computerized longarm machine, Sara puts the beautiful finishing touches on her many customers’ quilts. “It’s a joy to see all the beautiful quilts my customers bring to me.”

This year’s raffle quilt is called “A Quilter’s Neighborhood.” Several months ago, the 65 guild members were asked to create varied house blocks for this year’s raffle quilt. When you look at the 225 individual houses on the 82×104-inch quilt, you might see your own neighborhood on display. Guild members gathered to stitch these houses into rows for the quilt, just like neighbors getting together to make their community more beautiful. The raffle quilt was finished by guild members Anna Sasse and Shelly Clark.

The extremely popular raffle baskets are back again this year. These baskets are created by guild members and contain a variety of items and sewing goodies based on varied themes, such as baby, Christmas, Huskers, etc.

Tickets for all raffles are $1 each or 7 tickets for $5.

Since the guild’s member-made potholders have become such a huge hit with show attendees, they will also be back this year. These creative and sometimes entertaining potholders make handy gifts for many occasions. After all, everyone must occasionally cook!

Entry fee for this show is $5 at the door, which is used to support the Guild’s community service projects.