Every year, Julie Young enters a quilt into the San Benito County Fair. “I think it’s fun to share what you do,” she says. Julie doesn’t identify as a very competitive person but enjoys seeing everyone’s hard work in full display at the fair.
This year her quilt featured a vibrant array of roosters. The quilt was made for a friend that gifted the fabric to Julie. She loves making quilts for people and says while she’s piecing it together, “I’m thinking about how much I love them and…how special they are to me.” It took about 1 month for her to complete the piece and her friend insisted she share it at the fair.
At 84 years old, Julie has been a part of the Pinnacle Quilters Guild for 25 years. She’s happy to see the quilting department growing. The whole display space needed to be expanded this year to fit all the entries. One of her favorite parts is meeting all the people who come by the department. “It’s exciting to see their faces glow when they recognize something that is a really fine piece,” she comments.
Julie Young sits for a portrait in her sewing room Sep. 28. Her quilts are pieced together here but her work often takes place all over her home.
This seam ripper, gifted to Julie by a friend and fellow quilter, sits in her sewing room. Though the tip broke on the ornate tool, she still loves it. “I keep it because it’s special. I can’t use it but it’s special,” she says.
Julie helps attach ribbons to the winning quilts a few days before the fair, Oct. 2. Quilting judges are hired for their services of critiquing and choosing winners each year. Names are covered and entries are judged blind to reduce any bias in the community.
It’s the 101st San Benito County Fair and the quilting department is the place to escape some of the heat and stroll around the many hand crafted creations.
The iconic scavenger hunt is underway as kids of every age search through dozens of quilts for pumpkins, christmas trees, chickens and more. Here, Tyler and Bruno help each other complete one of the hunts and claim their rewards of choice from the treasure chest.
Julie welcomes guests and hands them their People’s Choice Ballots on Oct. 5, 2024. She points out the Junior entries along the wall that they can vote on.
People’s Choice lets the community pick their favorites amongst the Junior entries, quilts and the home furnishings like needlepoints and crocheted blankets. Throughout the art departments, it creates a fun way for fairgoers to be actively involved in the experience.
Julie Young’s quilt hangs at the fair along with a handwritten note explaining a little bit about the making of it. The maker’s story or details about the piece is added to a few creations amongst the department, adding a layer of thoughtfulness for the viewers.
Julie encourages new quilters to enter into the fair “Anything that they made, if they wanted to share it with others…bring it. It’s a lot of fun to see your item hanging, whatever it is that you’ve made.”
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