The Gordon County Scrappy Quilter’s Guild announced this week that Gordon County resident Dorothy Sauder has been named their 2009 Grand Price Blue Ribbon winner of the recent quilting contest held at the Calhoun Public Library.

During the week of October 21-26, the twenty-four Guild members put just under 50 quilts on dis-play at the library. Local residents were invited in for the popular bi-annual event to see the quilts and then vote on which they liked best. This year the quilts were especially impressive and in-cluded several that commemorated the Underground Railroad. Guild President Pam Unruh and other members tabulated the final vote count and proclaimed Mrs. Sauder’s quilt the winner.

The inspiration came from another member.

“She brought in a quilt I just loved,” Sauder said of Terry Thomas, a master quilter. “I followed her home and borrowed her book.”

Mrs. Sauder says she worked daily on her prize winning quilt for nearly a year and a half. The king size quilt was hand quilted using a method known as Jackobean appliqué.

“Being in the Guild is a lot of fun. You get to meet a lot of very nice folks. And working on this quilt helped keep my mind occupied after my husband, Harvey Sauder, passed away in 2007,” she added.

In 1995 Sauder became a charter member of the Scrappy Quilter’s Guild when the club was first formed. She also is the mother of former Cobb County State Representative Randy Sauder who in the 1990’s served in the Georgia General Assembly at the same time as former State Rep. Tom Shanahan, now an attorney here in Calhoun.

“My mother and grandmother were both quilters and they made beautiful quilts. Grandmother’s (quilts) were all made by hand, but mother began using a sewing machine to put them together. Sometimes I do use a sewing machine,” said the 83-year old Sauder.

In addition to Sauder receiving the Blue Ribbon first price, the Guild also announced that Kathy Baldwin of Chattsworth and Marie Dixon of Calhoun placed second and third in the competition respectively.

The Guild meets the second and fourth Monday of each month from 6p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Calhoun Library. Regardless of experience, anyone interested in quilting is encouraged to attend.