Fine fabrics: Hundreds of quilts on display at Heritage Park

Calgary's Heritage Park has held the Festival of Quilts at its facility for more than 20 years.

If you have the chance to visit Heritage Park this weekend, you will be able to take in an exhibition of handcrafted quilts made by residents of Calgary and surrounding areas.

Ranging from modern styles that appeal to younger quilters to traditional styles made by seniors, officials say the blankets are on display at various locations throughout the facility.

Beverly Patkau, the show day manager for the festival, says there are 561 quilts for guests to admire at the event.

"They are all here donated to us for the weekend by different individuals who are showing us their beauty and craftsmanship."

She says many of the people who created the pieces spent months and even years completing every stitch.

"It depends on the techniques you use and how much of a deadline you have to get them done."

The quilts come in all shapes and sizes too, Patkau says.

"We have everything from about a placemat size all the way to the extra, extra larges," she said.

None of the quilts on display are for sale, but Patkau says staff at Heritage Park have a catalog of contact information for the creator of each quilt. Anyone who is interested in buying one can then arrange details with the artisan directly.

This is the 26th year that Heritage Park has held the event.