It started in 1986 when Beth Polvino decided to teach machine quilting and piecing during adult education classes at Vo Tech in Cape May Court House. It wasn’t until 1987 that an ad was in the local Herald Newspaper calling for anyone with an interest in sewing/quilting and techniques to meet in a classroom at the local school. The Guild’s name “CAMACO” was voted on from a list of names. It was Beth Polvino’s late husband who came up with the name CAMACO (derived from Cape May County), which signified their location. Then the logo came… what better representation than the world-known lighthouse with a pattern of flying geese around it? It was official. CAMACO Quilting Guild was formed. Beth was the first president for the first 15 years. It wasn’t until her presidency was over that the location was moved to the local library. Then when that began to get too small for meetings, the growing Guild needed yet another new location. The Guild grew larger, new members were added and a new president was appointed.
Today, CAMACO provides many local charities with an array of hand-worked and machine-worked quilts and other items. From the Cold Spring Village Quilt Show, to the SPCA, to the Tranquility House for local girls, the ladies of the Guild work very diligently to complete their projects and provide for these various charities.
Pictured are quilts donated to the Tranquility House, where teens from ages 16 to 20 live and learn to re-adapt into society. They come with nothing and are in need of everything from bed linens to clothing. CAMACO has provided eight ladies with brand new handmade twin quilts.
The time and fellowship that was put into these masterpieces is incredible. Half Square Triangles, Flying Geese, Diamonds, Squares and more. These various designs were each picked and put together by the ladies of the CAMACO Guild.
The Guild hosts various speakers for demonstrations of different techniques, as well as Open Sew where you can bring your own sewing machine and work on whatever project you wish. CAMACO Quilt Guild has been and will forever be the quilters of the county!
– Nina Bonney
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
