A dramatic background of black wool sets off a bounty of applique flowers and fruit, in Ann Erickson’s first-place entry from the Coos Sand ’N Sea Quilt Show. Contributed Art

Sometimes, the challenge for a quilter is finding the fabric. A daughter wants a quilt for her son, and so Grandma needs to find scraps of cloth that feature bugs, or ants, or interesting rocks. Grandma needs to stitch the contents of a child’s pockets into a work of art, which is exactly what Merrel Smith did when she brought her “Boys ‘Bug Jar’ Quilt” to A Sea of Quilts, the 14th-annual show from the Coos Sand ’N Sea Quilt Guild.

Merrel Smith’s quilt showed me how fabric selection can take precedence over needlework, while fellow guild member Joanne Smith’s quilt demonstrated the beauty of fabric when it is used to reveal the complexities of pattern and stitch.

The ribbon for Best of Show was awarded to Joanne Smith on Sept. 21 for her entry in the machine quilted Large Quilt category, “Getting Through It.” This lovely piece featured 12 large white squares that illuminated Smith’s expert quilting techniques, such as close stippling and an illusory trapunto stitch. The artist set off the white with 13 additional squares that resembled nothing so much as individual, quilted paintings. From the delicate mauve of a coneflower to a pair of lushly textured, yellow irises, Smith’s quilt demonstrated a balanced sense of design and complete control over her medium. Guild members Peggy Prickett and Linda Mason served as co-chairs for the 18-member quilt show committee. And while Prickett estimates that she had as many as 23 volunteers at one time, she figures that more than three dozen helpers dealt with the measurement, setup, organization and hanging of the nearly 300 entries.

A work force from Hauser’s Shutter Creek Correctional Institute proved invaluable during the set up. Heavy stands — stored at the Boys & Girls Club facility — needed to be hauled up into the gym, and cleaned. After carefully placing the stands in a grid formation, uprights were set into the stands, and cross beams attached to the uprights. Sheets to back the quilts required ironing, and knotty decisions needed to be made regarding the placement of each entry.

“They enjoy helping,” Prickett says of the Shutter Creek crew. “They get excited about seeing the quilts that they’re hanging. They talk to each other … One older man said it reminded him of what his grandma used to do, and he said he wished he’d appreciated it then.”

The thoughtful presentation of these artworks pays off in plaudits from the crowd. “We try to keep it as open as we can,” says Prickett. “We need room for wheelchairs and strollers. We try to make it so you can stand back and look at it — especially the wall hangings.”

First place in the Applique Wall Hanging Division went to Ann Erickson for her piece, aptly titled “Home & Harvest.” In it, layers of fabric were cleverly built up to form sculpted strawberries topped by plump, yellow peppers. Sliced citrus, delicate pale pears and autumn leaves were attached to the hanging with what Erickson describes as “a simple blanket stitch.” The contrast between the beguiling, soft fabric and Erickson’s pin-sharp skills with her embroidery silks was cunningly effective; a clear winner within a crowded and competitive division.

Erickson picked up an additional first place in the Large Quilt, Machine Quilted Pro division as well as a third place ribbon for her “Crossed Canoes” (intermediate quilt, machine quilted, professional).

Every Sand ’N Sea quilt show features a Challenge, and this year the challenge quilts resembled the New York Times: only black and white fabric was allowed, with just a small amount of one additional color.

The 19 entries must have caused a run on black and white cottons, producing everything from square wall hangings to a black and white mesh and fabric tote. The most effective was “Memories, Hopes and Cures,” nine blocks of varying black and white patterns, each featuring a central, free-form heart. There was an elongated black heart printed with tiny musical notes, and a fatter heart with a dragonfly center. The quilt had an easy accessibility with its straight lines, its curvy lines, and the single touch of color: a pink fabric ribbon placed high and on the right, signifying our continued need to challenge the ravages of breast cancer.

Teri Albert reviews art and artists for The World. Comments on or suggestions for this column are welcome, and can be e-mailed to malbert3@verizon.net.