Quilts of Westfield Resident Renate Bieber Featured at 36thAnnual Quilt Show
“My Journey,” the quilts of Renate Bieber, will be showcased at the Harvest Quilters of Central NJ’s 36th annual quilt show on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Willow Grove Presbyterian Church, Scotch Plains, NJ from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The self-proclaimed “by the book” quilter has unexpectedly become an award winning art quilter after exploring her creative side. “I started out making a very traditional baby quilt in 1987, when my first child was born, and that was the path I happily followed for many years,” said Ms. Bieber.
In 2015 a Harvest Quilter’s guild challenge, to create an art quilt depicting a common idiom, led Ms. Bieber to reluctantly leave tradition behind and create “Still Waters Run Deep.” This 3-D water lily themed original design would win a guild ribbon and go on to win first place in the craft category at the Union County Senior Citizens Art Exhibit and jury into NJ state competition. Two other original art quilts “Poppy Day” and ‘Whirligig,” both of which also placed at the Senior Citizens Art Exhibit, will be displayed.
Other highlights of the exhibit will include three eye catching quilts made from the same pattern, but with very different fabric. Quilts that celebrate family and friend’s birthdays, graduations and weddings will feature her daughter’s Halloween birthday quilt complete with spider webs quilted using sparkling silver thread. Unique utilitarian items will round out the display including a Challah cover, tea bag caddie, thread catcher and sewing needle case.
“I enjoy the process of making quilts, giving them as gifts or using them in my daily life,” said Ms. Bieber, a member of Harvest Quilters since 2005, were she is Meeting Leader and Publicity Chair.
Community Service has been a focal point of Ms. Bieber’s 27 years in Westfield, where she raised her three children along with her husband of 34 years, Michael. After many years of volunteering, she was elected PTO President of McKinley School from 2000-2002. She’s held numerous positions in the Westfield Chapter of Hadassah, a Jewish women’s organization, culminating with President from 1996-1998 and Woman of the Year in 1999. She ran the box office as director of ticket sales for the Westfield Community Players from 2008-2017.
Born in northern Germany and raised in Munich, Ms. Bieber, like all German girls in the 60s, learned to knit, crochet and embroider in elementary school and sew in the upper grades. A graduate of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL, she worked as a Foreign Service National at the American Consulate in Munich, and after a stint as a stay-at-home mom and substitute teacher, is currently Attendance Secretary at Franklin School in Westfield.
Willow Grove Presbyterian Church is located at 1961 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076. Entry to the show is $7 for adults and $3 for children under 12 years of age. The proceeds from our raffle and entry fee are used for charitable donations and to further knowledge of the art of quilting.
(above) Harvest Quilters of Central NJ is proud to announce Sharing the Quilt XXXVI, our 36th annual quilt exhibit on April 6, 2019. The featured quilter, Renate Bieber, is a long-time resident of Westfield and has been involved in many community organizations.
Submitted by Marianne O’Neill
