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When you enter the Fremont Center at the Fremont County Fairgrounds, the first thing you notice are the dozens of quilts hanging from the rafters and the hard work that goes into each one.
A person behind the scenes with quilts, needlepoint, knitting, and other fabric-based projects is Needlework and Sewing Superintendent Barb David.
David is a lifelong Riverton resident, graduating from Riverton High School in 1978. She has been the Needlework and Sewing Superintendent for the last six years.
As a youngster, she didn’t enter 4H contests at the fair very often, but as an adult, she is a regular contributor to the open class competition at the fair.
“I have been quilting for 20-some years,” David said. “It’s just a hobby.”
The quality of her quilts and the care with which she displays the work of others is far beyond a hobby.
“Putting the colors together, the pieces, the quilting, the binding, I enjoy all of it,” she said. “My quilts will be door prizes at my funeral.
She is also very active with Quilts of Valor, an organization that creates, then gives quilts to military veterans.
“If I find somebody, I’ll ask them if I can make a quilt for them,” David said. “I had a guy say there are only two things I value, my grandfather’s gun, and the Quilt of Valor you made for me.”
When it comes to displaying the quilts and crafts of 4H and open-class exhibitors, she’s a professional from the start to the finish of the fair.
“We take in the entries, prep them for judging, then set up the displays,” she said. “The judges work with the quilts on the table.”
The expressions on the faces of children and adults alike when they hear how well they did with an entry is a joy.
“Seeing the people’s reactions when they find out they’re getting a rosette is one of the reasons I do this,” David said.
Some of the beginning 4H entries are as simple as doing needlepoint on pillowcases and sewing. The adult division, with the large, brightly colored, patterned quilts border on works of art.
“I always encourage everyone to enter something in the fair,” David said.
She noticed a recent trend in an increasing number of quilts entered in the fair.
“Quilts are up, and needlepoint is holding steady,” she said.
Take the time to walk through the Fremont Center when you travel to the fair this week. The quality and craftsmanship are amazing.