This year’s retreat featured the work of Carol Guse of New Ulm, whose 51 quilts, spanning nearly five decades of craftsmanship, lined the gymnasium walls in a vibrant display of color and technique.

“I like to challenge myself and try different things,” Guse said. “You never get any better if you don’t challenge yourself.”

Her first quilt, a full-size blue piece sewn entirely by hand, hung prominently in the display.

“I took a class from Joyce Aufterheide. She had a quilt museum in her basement,” Guse recalled. “Everything she did was by hand. That first quilt took me a while, and then I found rotary cutting, and then I was really off and running.”

Event organizers Ann Wendinger, Cindy Wendinger and Jackie Forst pose with featured quilter Carol Guse, whose decades of work were showcased at the retreat. The trio co-own Sewing Seeds quilt shop in New Ulm.

Among the collection, her award-winning piece “Tropical Fireworks” drew particular attention, a purple and blue starburst bordered with appliqué birds of paradise.

“My husband named it,” she said. “He said it reminded him of those great big fireworks.”

The retreat attracted both seasoned quilters and first-time participants.

“I love learning new tricks and getting ideas from other people,” said Donita Platz of Lafayette, attending her first Sewing for Sight event. “This is the best quilting retreat I’ve ever been to.”

“We sew, we have fun, and we see people we haven’t seen for a while,” said Mary Ann Wolf, a returning participant. “It raises money for a wonderful cause.”

Anna Geiger sews quilt pieces during Saturday’s Sewing for Sight retreat at St. George Parish Center. Sewing machines were carried in by the event’s 11‑person valet team, part of the support system that helped 72 quilters settle in for the daylong fundraiser.

All proceeds benefit the Foundation for Saving Sight, which provides medical care in San Lucas, Guatemala.

Event organizers Jackie Forst, Cindy Wendinger and Ann Wendinger, who co-own Sewing Seeds quilt shop, credited broad community support for the retreat’s success.

“Catholic United Financial from St. George were our first sponsors back in the first year,” Ann Wendinger said. “Since the three of us own the store now, Sewing Seeds has become a sponsor as well.”

St. George Parish provided the space, kitchen help and cleaning services, while an 11-person valet team helped transport participants’ sewing machines into the building Saturday morning.

“We couldn’t do it alone,” Ann Wendinger said. “It’s just the three of us, but our families are here, our community, our church community, they all help.”

Mary Jean Janni presses quilt blocks during Saturday’s Sewing for Sight retreat at St. George Parish Center. Her work was part of a daylong event that brought together 72 quilters and raised funds for medical care in Guatemala.

“I really enjoyed having Carol out here and being able to see the display, meet everyone and visit, as well as see her family support,” Forst said.

“Just seeing all the people that we haven’t seen for probably a year, because we only see them once a year here, it’s just been the laughter,” Cindy Wendinger said.

For Guse, seeing her quilts displayed publicly offered a rare opportunity. Her husband, Jim, brought the quilts from storage, where many had been kept in the basement for years.

“My husband calls quilting my happy place,” Guse said. “I can go up to my sewing room and forget about all the problems and just relax.”

“She paints with a needle,” said Dr. Ann Vogel, attending as a spectator. “When the right people get together and are focused on a common good, miracles can happen.”

A sign reading “Welcome Quilters” greets attendees at St. George Parish Center in New Ulm, host site of the Sewing for Sight retreat since its founding in 2012.

Several men participated in Saturday’s event, reflecting a broader trend in the quilting world.

“There are a lot of men who are fabric designers and pattern writers,” Ann Wendinger noted. “Men have really good color sense, they’re really good at pulling colors.”

During the 15th annual Sewing for Sight retreat, organizers reflected on the event’s unexpected longevity.

“We never envisioned it going this long,” Ann Wendinger said. “The generosity of the people and the community has just been amazing.”

“All of the ones who have been here from day one are just as important as the ones here for the first time,” she said.

Plans are already underway for next year’s event, continuing a tradition that blends craft, community and charitable purpose.

Donations to the Foundation for Saving Sight may be mailed to Ann Wendinger, 37848 631st Ave., New Ulm, MN 56073. All contributions go directly to patient care.