The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show draws a lot of tourists to town. The Sisters City Council is considering an increase in the room tax, which, in part, would augment the city's affordable housing fund. (Tess Freeman/Bulletin file photo)

SISTERS — Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show attendees have learned this over the years: arrive there early and you get to see firefighters climbing the roof at the Stitchin’ Post to hang quilts off the side of the building.

At 7 a.m., two hours before the show officially started, the line at Sisters Bakery stretched out the door. And while there was still plenty of parking downtown, foot traffic had already become heavy.

In its 40th year, the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show attracts novice and expert quilters alike from across the nation and even overseas to see and experience what’s new in quilting and what traditions continue.

At the Stitchin’ Post, firefighters shuffled through quilts in bags, organized by the name of the quilter who created them.

Sally Frey, of Fortuna, California, comes up each year to teach quilting classes the week before the show and help hang quilts the morning of the event. She, along with Capt. Jeff Liming, a volunteer firefighter with the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District, directed the firefighters where to hang quilts.

Ahead of time, Frey had created a map of the side of the Stitchin’ Post to show how about 30 quilts would fit next to each other like puzzle pieces.

Laying on the rooftop with their heads and shoulders hanging over, several firefighters would each hold one top corner of a quilt, listening to Liming and Frey directing them: move left; a little higher; more to the right, until they got it just right.

Within an hour, all of the quilts were hung on the Stitchin’ Post, but not before a crowd had gathered to see the action. Snapping photos with their smartphones, and even shouting directions to the firefighters, quilt-show-goers hammed it up.

After firefighters posed for photos in front of the firetruck, a request came from the crowd.

“And now if you could all turn around,” a woman shouted, laughing as she held up her phone, hopeful for one more photo.

Lawry Thorn made one of the quilts hung by the firefighters. It featured a black fabric tree on a background of vibrant-colored squares spanning the rainbow.

Thorn, 71, has been involved in the show for 35 of its 40 years. That first year, she became a quilter, a resident of Sisters and an employee of the Stitchin’ Post.

Another one of her quilts on display was a traditional quilt of neutral-toned fabrics depicting cats. To make the quilt, titled “Sawtooth Cats,” Thorn used paper-piecing — a technique that involves sewing pieces of fabric to a paper pattern.

Thorn focuses on making traditional quilts, some of which she displays at home, but many that she uses as well. She guesstimated the number of quilts she’s made over the past three decades.

“Oh, I have no idea … over 100 at least. I have a closet full,” said Thorn, adding that she sells some of her quilts, but others are made with someone in mind. When she knows who the quilt will be for, the process is, in a way, more special, she said.

Thorn, who teaches classes before the show but also during the year, described how quilting has evolved.

When she began, she said, people would be surprised to hear someone was planning to quilt with a sewing machine.

“Thirty years ago it was, ‘Oh you’re going to do it by machine?’ Now it’s, ‘Oh you’re going to do it by hand?’” Thorn said.

But Thorn, who usually works by machine, has an appreciation for all types: hand-sewn, machine-sewn, traditional or art quilts that look more modern. She enjoys adding details by hand to quilts that feature embroidery. Sitting down to work on one of those detailed quilts is a treat, she said.

Thorn said from the time she moved to Sisters 35 years ago, she realized there was a big quilting community.

“Here, it just seems to be a common bond,” she said, under an outdoor tent featuring dozens of quilts tucked over quilt racks.

In the grass nearby, a gray cat lay, calmly observing the people, as they observed the quilts.

“Yeah, cats have to come see the quilts, too,” Thorn said, smiling.

— Reporter: 541-383-0325, kfisicaro@bendbulletin.com