GREENE – A group of thirty-five women, young and old, gathered to enjoy two days of quilting and camaraderie at the Berean Bible Church in Greene this weekend.

“This is our fifteenth year,” said Linda Franklin of Whitney Point, who started the local quilter’s weekend in 1996 with the help of friend and fellow quilter Judy Krisko.

The gathering, known as Sew & So On, gives participants the chance to work on existing quilts or start new projects around a central theme, while sharing techniques with their fellow quilters. This year, “Celebration” was the theme, as the quilters and other crafters present marked the group’s anniversary.

Every year, usually on Super Bowl weekend, they gather on Friday morning at the Greene church and quilt until Saturday evening, sharing meals and enjoying the friendships fostered over the years.

“We started out with ten,” Franklin said, remembering how in the early days the participants would stay overnight at the church, rising early on Saturday morning to share breakfast before sitting back down to their sewing machines.

In the beginning, much of the weekend was focused on basic quilting techniques, with Franklin, the most experienced quilter, playing the role of teacher. She herself had been introduced to quilting during a similar weekend long event, and longed to offer others the opportunity to do the same. Many of the same women are still involved, she said, and have now surpassed even her skills.