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Wanted: Texas quilters to tell the story of agriculture

Texas Quilt
TexasFlagQuilts.com

Austin – Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples is asking quilters across the Lone Star State to participate in the Texas Department of Agriculture’s 2012 quilt block competition.   This year’s theme, “Agriculture is Your Culture,” was chosen to spotlight  TDA’s educational campaign that demonstrates how agriculture impacts the lives of all Americans.
“There’s no doubt farmers and ranchers are the backbone of Texas agriculture, but all of us are impacted by agriculture countless times each day in ways we may not even imagine,”  Commissioner Staples said. “From the clothes we wear to the food we eat to the construction of the houses we call home, agriculture is vital to our daily lives. I look forward to seeing how our creative quilters weave the ‘Agriculture is Your Culture’ theme into their quilts.”

As in previous years, each contestant will use Texas natural fibers – cotton, wool and leather – to create a quilt block to submit to TDA. A panel of judges will select the winning entries, which will be pieced together into a quilt and unveiled in September at TDA’s Food and Fiber Pavilion at the 2012 State Fair of Texas. At the conclusion of the Fair, the quilt will become part of TDA’s popular quilt collection.

As the country’s leading producer of wool and mohair, Texas has earned a global reputation among international textile buyers for superior quality and durability. Texas also leads the nation in cotton production and is a major producer of hides for leather and suede.

This year’s contest sponsors include Hobbs Bonded Fibers of Waco, Quiltin’ N Texas of Crowley, Tandy Leather Factory of Fort Worth and the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers’ Association. The final quilt will be designed and constructed by Terri Vogds of Denton, and quilted by Maria Davis of Lewisville.

To help defray the cost of the contest, there is a $20 fee for each participant packet. The packets contain the natural fiber fabrics to be used in the design, along with tips and techniques for developing the block and additional information about the contest theme. To participate in the 2012 quilt block competition, call (877) 99-GOTEX or download a participant form by visiting the TDA Quilt Collection section of www.gotexan.org.

The deadline for submissions is June 5, 2012 and a limited number of packets is available. To learn more about the “Agriculture is Your Culture” campaign, visit www.TexasAgriculture.gov/culture.