The St. Croix International Quilters’ Guild and Washington County Community College have the perfect reason for needleworkers and quilt lovers to make a trip Down East. They are the co-sponsors of a quilt show, “St. Croix Quilts 2004: Down by the Riverside, in Calais.” The show will be open to visitors 1-8 p.m. Friday, June 25, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, June 26, in the gymnasium at St. Croix Hall, Washington County Community College.

The show coincides with the St. Croix 2004 celebration marking the 400th anniversary of the 1604-1605 settling of St. Croix Island, three years before the English settlement at Jamestown, Va., was established. The island is located between Calais and Bayside, New Brunswick. French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco have accepted invitations to attend the celebration. Acadian culture and Louisiana’s Cajun population will be highlighted at the celebration.

In Calais, aficionados should brace themselves for quilt nirvana because, organizers say, the show will include “hundreds of traditional, contemporary, antique and art quilts, wall hangings and garments.” The show also will include demonstrations of quilting techniques, vendors from all over Maine, quilt raffles to benefit many local charities and nonprofit groups, and lots of door prizes.

Guild member Joanie Jones of Pembroke will give demonstrations on continuous bias bindings, the basics of rotary cutting, paper foundation piecing, hand quilting and applique techniques.

Marcia Carlow of Calais will demonstrate origami fabric folding, and Karen Hanson, also of Calais, will demonstrate English paper piecing.

Quilts and quilted craft items will be for sale.

Admission to the quilt show is by donation – $3 is suggested – and includes light refreshments.

A portion of the proceeds from the quilt show will be donated to the scholarship fund at Washington County Community College, and to Ronald McDonald House in Bangor.

Quilt guild members were challenged to create a wall hanging using a nautical theme. Visitors to the quilt show will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite piece in that display. The winner of that contest will receive half a yard of fabric from each of the losers.

Guild members have created a blue-and-white quilt in the Ocean Waves pattern, which will be raffled. Tickets for the quilt will be for sale at the show. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit Peaceful Choices, which works to prevent domestic violence in Washington County.

To obtain instructions and a pattern for an Ocean Wave quilt, visit www.mccallsquilting.com.

Snippets

. Recently I was made aware of an Internet campaign urging those who oppose President Bush’s policies in Iraq to knit and wear red caps, or other items, each Friday until Election Day. To learn more about the effort, visit www.openheart.com. It will be interesting to see how Bush supporters who knit respond and what color they will choose for their caps.

. Knitters, if you haven’t visited www.knitty.com, do. It features free patterns, a gallery and feedback from other knitters.

. A large safety pin makes a good stitch holder when the real thing is unavailable.

Ardeana Hamlin welcomes suggestions. Call 990-8153, or e-mail ahamlin@bangordailynews.net.