By Tim Leeds
The Hi-Line Quilt Guild is nearing completion of its Hi-Line History Quilt, which will be raffled off during the Festival Days Quilt Show next August.
The quilt contains 12 hand-sewn applique blocks depicting scenes from Havre and the Hi-Line, with hand-sewn floral applique blocks of local wildflowers around the border and as a center-piece, with an Irish chain between the applique blocks.
The proceeds from the raffle will be used to set up an endowment in the Natalie Patrick Foundation, Inc. to fund projects in the family and consumer science, or home economic, departments in Hi-Line schools.
Lynda Patrick-Hayes, a member of the guild, said the idea for the scenic quilt came from a discussion during a meeting of the guild last December. Member Suzanne Huston, after receiving ideas of scenes to use from guild members, shot photos of attractions. She then drew pictures from the photos to use as guides for the blocks in the quilts, cleaning them up and re-designing them for easier use in constructing the blocks. Dawn Welch designed the floral block for the center of the quilt.
The scenic blocks were sewn by 12 of the guild members, while the floral blocks were sewn by seven of them, although member Karen Vosen said some members worked on both.
The scenic blocks are of a variety of attractions in the area, such as the Havre Heritage Center, the Sweetgrass Hills viewed from the Milk River, Donaldson Hall on the Montana State University-Northern campus from the Kuhr Memorial Pond, the Rocky Boy Pow Wow, the historic H. Earl Clack home, the Castle (Gussenhoven home) and the Lynden Pomeroy Hands Across the Border statue.
The guild, which has been making quilts in Havre for more than 20 years, divides into groups and draws names every year to work on its Festival Days quilt, its Christmas quilt and its "ugly quilt." Huston said this year the Festival Days quilt has been more of a group effort than usual.
The guild plans to display the quilt around Havre, after it is completed, up until the time of the raffle.
The Natalie Patrick Foundation, Inc. was established by Natalie Patrick's parents, Tom and Carolyn Patrick, after her death in 1998. The foundation was established to set up endowments to fund projects for the benefit of the children of Havre.
