The fair isn’t just for kids! Linnette Patrick — who happens to be the manager of South Wood Apartments and the wife of Garrettsville Mayor Rick Patrick — swept the quilting category at the Portage County Randolph Fair last month.
Linnette brought four of her quilts to the show and came away with four first-place blue ribbons and two purple Best of Shows. This was just the second time Linnette entered her quilts to be judged at the fair.
In response, Linette simply said, “It was a nice surprise; quite an honor.”
It all began 27 years ago, when Linnette won a quilt with a $1 raffle ticket. She admired its artistry and handiwork so much, she decided to learn the handicraft herself. Since then, as an active member of the Village Piece Maker’s Club, she has been working on two to three quilts at a time.
Linnette hasn’t kept track of how many total quilts she’s made over her nearly 30-year hobby. “I’ve given so many away as gifts or for charity, I really don’t know how many I’ve made over the years.”
She also refuses to gauge how many hours she invests in making each quilt, claiming, “If I had to time myself, that would just create stress… and that’s the opposite effect I want to get from quilting!”
Of the award-winning quilts, Linnette described two as scrappy designs, one as a sampler, and the other featuring basket motifs. She was gratified that one of her blue-ribbon winners had been a quilt she’s been working on (and off) for the past 10 years.
Linnette describes quilting as “My passion, my lifeline, my thing to do to relieve stress and find reward in my work.” While she admits her passion can sometimes result in cramped joints and tired eyes, she said, “It’s a good hurt because it’s what I love to do.”
Already, Linnette has another quilt just about done, ready to enter in next year’s quilt show at the fair.
