Quilt show at Prince William Fairgrounds March 29-30

More than 200 dazzling quilts will be on display during the 10th annual combined Cabin Branch and Stone House Quilters 2014 Quilt Show March 29-30.

The event will take place at the Prince William County Fairgrounds,10624 Dumfries Rd., Manassas. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 29 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 30.

Also planned for the show are free demonstration classes. Boutiques and a silent auction will exhibit items to purchase while the community service table will show visitors how the two clubs reach out to support community organizations.

Funds for community services come from raffle tickets for two quilts.

Vendors at the show will have a large selection of fabrics and other quilting related items. Quilt appraisals will be available. Parking is free and ample.

There will be demonstrations of quilting techniques, People’s Choice Award for quilts the public vote as the best of show, a scavenger hunt for youngsters and ten quilts being shown for the first time will be for sale at the show.

Attendance has grown steadily through the years and visitors come from both near and far to help the quilters celebrate the love of quilting.

Proceeds from a raffle quilt will benefit neuroblastoma, a form of cancer found primarily in children, that attacks the developing nerve cells.

The funds will go to the Cody’s Crew Foundation. Cody was a local child who struggled with the disease for four years but passed away at the age of six in 2009. His parents set up the foundation to raise money for research as they believe that one child lost to the disease is on child too many.

The quilt “Cabin Branch Flower Garden” was originally designed by Cabin Branch member Deborah Van Wyck and hand pieced by 45 members of the guild.

Cabin Branch Quilters was founded in 1989 by Paula Golden to provide a focus for quilting in the county. The 150 members meet at the Lake Ridge Baptist Church in Woodbridge the fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m.

The organization is named after the Cabin Branch Mining Company. In the late 1800s pyrite was discovered about three miles up Quantico Creek from the Potomac River, near Dumfries. At one time the mine employed from 200 to 300 workers, including children.

Stone House Quilters is located in historic Manassas and uses the same name at the historic house at Manassas National Battlefield Park.

Members offer educational programs and workshops in various aspects of quilting with a goal to educate the public about the fine art, preserve its tradition, culture, history and use their skills to benefit the community.