Verna Chernoff has plenty to smile about. For one thing, her multi-month project which contains close to 5,000 pieces is complete, and for another, it has been judged numero uno by a panel of experts in the field of quilting.
In fact, at last month's Canadian Quilters' Guild annual event, held in Penticton, Chernoff's "Arabian Nights" earned First Place, the Award of Excellence in the Canadian Juried Quilt Show.
Hundreds of entries from all across Canada and several U.S. states were part of the show.
"My goal is to get out of my pajamas before my husband gets home from work," said Chernoff of her normal quilting timetable. The winning effort took her "four or five months." The number of hours was not exactly stated.
"Any chance I get, I work on the quilt," she said. "It's an addiction that I have. I'm always in my sewing room, quilting up something."
Of the many submissions there were 92 quilts to make the cut and be selected to be a part of the juried portion. After close scrutiny the judges chose "Arabian Nights" number one.
"This was the biggest piece in the show," said Chernoff.
Although financial considerations are not what motivates her, she did accept the $750 that came as part of the Award of Excellence.