WORTHINGTON -- The people represented by the International Festival flag quilt have traversed thousands of miles in their travels to Worthington.
The quilt itself will take a slightly shorter journey.
It will be displayed by several local merchants before it is raffled off July 10 at the International Festival; there will also be drawings for Twins memorabilia and a ShopKo gift card.
The handmade quilt measures 44 by 63 inches. It contains flags of 66 locally represented nationalities, including the United States, and has the words "Worthington International Festival 2010" sewn in the center.
"I just think that it's absolutely beautiful," said Leann Enninga, International Festival committee chairwoman, of the finished product. "I think it would be something a lot of people would like hanging in their house."
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It took organizers a while to collect and arrange the flags, not all of which are rectangular.
"It was an interesting mix," admitted Roxanne Crayford, Worthington, who sewed the flags together. "The flags weren't all the same size; one was a totally different makeup."
Crafty Corner donated materials needed for the quilt, and Barb Ahlgren of Worthington quilted the fabric together with multicolored thread.
The idea for the quilt was first raised last fall, but it wasn't until Crayford mentioned her quilting experience to Enninga that the project moved forward.
"It was Roxanne's impetus that got this thing off the ground," Enninga said. "No one on the committee knew what to do or where to start."
Crayford said she enjoyed piecing together the quilt, especially as she was able to make a personal connection with her heritage.
"I thought it would just be (recent immigrant) nationalities, but then I saw my nationality in there," she said.
One caveat, though: if organizers inadvertently missed a locally represented country, they want to know about it, Enninga said.
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The quilt will be displayed at the following sites:
Worthington Federal Savings, June 17, 18, 21; West Learning Center, June 22, 23, 24, 25; JBS, June 28, 29, 30; Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce, July 1, 2, 5.
Raffle tickets may be purchased from International Festival committee members and are available at Schafer's Health Center, the Nobles County Library, JBS human resources department, Worthington Federal Savings and Loan; Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Worthington campus District 518 Community Education in West Learning Center, Nobles County Integration Collaborative, UFCW Local 1161 office on Oxford Street and the University of Minnesota Extension office.
Proceeds raised from raffle ticket sales will go to the festival's general fund. Unsold tickets will be available at the festival.
