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Every year the Flat Iron Quilting Guild selects one of their members to be featured during the April Quilt Show. This year, Valerie Hoynacki will hold the honor of Featured Quilter.

Hoynacki is well versed with stitching. Her hobby began as a child when she enrolled in the 4-H sewing project. "I remember my first couple of years I made an apron, then the next year a skirt," she said. "It just kept growing from there."

It was 40 years ago, in 1980, when she sewed her first quilt, entirely by hand. This quilt, along with some of Hoynacki's other chosen pieces, will be on display at the 2019 Quilt Show being held at Thompson Falls High School on Saturday, April 13.

"I don't like to follow the rules," Hoynacki shared as her secret to quilting success. "I do not like to use patterns because I figure everyone else is doing the same thing." Instead, she looks at patterns for ideas, but applies her own creativity (including hand stitching or embroidery) to develop a custom piece. She described the process as "evolving."

Hoynacki offered a couple suggestions for those who have difficulty choosing fabric. When coordinating colors, she suggests placing the fabric together, stepping back and squinting to see if the colors all blend into one, or if there is contrast. "You don't want it to blend," she suggested indicating that contrast is good.

Another helpful hint is to chose fabric that is not too busy. "Start with a focus pattern and enhance the main fabric with others," she shared. Too much going on will make you "lose the individual patterns."

Hoynacki has lived all over the U.S. She has resided in Boston, Salt Lake City, North Carolina, and Indiana. Before retirement, Hoynacki was an emergency room nurse in Hamilton, Montana. It was here that she recalls decorating the walls with her wall hangings to "liven the place up."

Upon moving to Sanders County five years ago, one of the first things Hoynacki did was join Flat Iron Quilting Guild. She enjoys the camaraderie, shared interests and inspiration given by the guild's members.

The guild is dedicated to sewing lap quilts that they donate to Sanders County Coalition for Families, Sanders County Cancer Network and Sanders County Court Appointed Special Advocates. Being a non-profit, the quilting club receives grant money and donations which supply their ongoing fabric inventory.

"We need more members so we can use all the material we have," Hoynacki said with invitation, reiterating that skill level does not matter.

Most of Hoynacki's creations are given away. She said that "it's the making that's the enjoyable part." As the saying goes, one good gesture triggers another, and the guild is seeing this first hand.

Through Facebook, the guild has "Friends" throughout the nation following them. A former fabric store owner from Colorado has donated a plethora of material to the guild and made a warm connection with the members. These fabric donations have allowed the guild to sew more lap quilts to be utilized in Sanders County.

The Flat Iron Quilting Guild meets the second Saturday of every month at the Thompson Falls High School. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. for members to sew and visit, while their business meeting starts at 2 p.m. More information on the guild can be received by phoning Brenda Shivley at 827-3666 or Jennifer McCrea at (406) 249-9675.