At last. Someone has found a way to combine writing and stitching. That someone is Susan Sherman of Appleton, who is the idea woman behind the Maine Authors Quilt project.

“The hard part,” said Sherman, “was that there is no comprehensive list available of Maine authors.”

Sherman sent quilt squares to authors, requesting that they sign the squares and return them. The packages she sent included a quilt square, an archival pen donated by The Cricket Shop and return envelopes donated by Staples. One hundred twenty authors responded, including Stephen King, Richard Russo, Van Reid, Elizabeth Ogilvie, Linda Greenlaw, Ashley Bryan, Carolyn Chute and Wes McNair.

The quilt, a scrapbook about the quilt project and some of the authors’ books, will be raffled Jan. 17 to benefit the capital campaign of the Mildred Stevens Williams Library in Appleton.

“The authors were excited about the project and pleased to be asked,” Sherman said. “Some donated money and copies of their books.” Some of the authors included drawings with their signatures on the squares, she said.

Molly Leighter designed and assembled the quilt, a wall hanging measuring 50 inches by 54 inches. The quilt is done in the broken cup pattern. Linda Upham monogrammed the title and Darlene Starett machine quilted the border.

Sherman organized Maine Authors’ Day planned for 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Appleton Elementary School. Many of the authors who signed the quilt will be on hand to read from and to sell their books. The quilt will be on display and, in keeping with the mood of the day, the school gymnasium will be hung with other quilts. Authors who are expected to attend authors day include Debby Atwell, Robert Baldwin, Jo Ann Simon, Katy Perry, Mona Pease, Tess Gerritson, William Carpenter, Neil Rolde, Martin Steingesser, Kate Barnes, Linda Tatelbaum, Fritz Burke, Tay Vaughn and Bob Bailey.

Nancy Brown, who has been Appleton’s volunteer librarian since 1961, said the project was several years in the making. “We think it’s wonderful,” she said. “We’ve always had quite a Maine [books] collection. It’s one of the library’s strong points.”

To view the quilt, visit http://www.midcoast.com/~library/programs/quilt.html. To obtain information about how to purchase raffle tickets, call 785-5656, visit www.appletonlib.me.us, or call Susan Sherman at 785-4794 or 785-4287. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5.

Snippets

The Maine Crafts Association will hold a panel discussion at its annual meeting at 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26, at Round Top Center for the Arts in Damariscotta. The panelists will talk about changes that have occurred in the craft world in the past few years and what the future holds for the development of crafts in Maine and the United States. Bruce Brown, curator at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockland, will serve as moderator. The public is invited to attend the meeting, which includes a potluck supper and an impromptu show of work brought by those who attend the meeting.

The panelists will be basket maker Lissa Hunter of Portland, wood turner Jacques Vesery of Damariscotta, installation artist Warren Seelig of Rockland, mixed-media artist Lihua Lei of Solon, glass blower Ben Coombs of Portland and computer animation artist Rick Barnhart of Tenants Harbor.

Each panelist has work featured in “20/20 enVision,” the craft association’s 20th anniversary exhibition opening at Colby College Museum of Art on Dec. 7.

To join the Maine Crafts Association or to learn more, e-mail mainecraft@aol.com, or visit www.mainecrafts.org.

Ardeana Hamlin welcomes comments, suggestions and ideas. Call her at 990-8153, or e-mail ahamlin@bangordailynews.net.