Karen Hougen displays one of the beautiful quilts she has made and will have on display at this year’s 40th Annual Quilt EXPO in Blue Earth. Hougen is this year’s Featured Quilter.

It is turning out to be quite a summer for Karen Hougen.

After almost 27 years as an accountant for the Blue Earth Area School District, Hougen’s last day on the job was July 31. Then, just over two weeks later, she will be honored as the Featured Quilter at the 40th Annual Quilt EXPO.

Hougen, who lives west of Blue Earth with her husband Craig, says she is ready for retirement.

“I worked for four different superintendents plus two interim superintendents,” she shares. “And I enjoyed my time at the school.”

But, she adds, retirement will have many benefits.

“I will have more time to quilt now,” she says with a smile.

Although Hougen began sewing during her middle school years, she didn’t pick up the quilting bug until about 20 years ago.

“I used to watch my mother-in-law hand quilt,” she recalls. “Then, one day, my sister Diane Murphy and I took a class at a quilting store in Buffalo Center, Iowa. It was on how to make Bargello quilts.”

And, the rest, as it is said, is history.

“That was it, I started my first quilt. To tell the truth, I never finished it,” she admits, laughing.

She has, however, finished a number of other quilts.

“I’m not sure of the exact number of quilts I have made. It really does not seem like that many,” Hougen comments. “I would estimate the number of quilts I have finished to be somewhere between 50 and 100.”

Although she makes quilts of all sizes, Hougen says the majority of the quilts she constructs are lap size.

“They are great to have when you want to sit down in front of the television and relax,” she mentions. “I tend to make lap quilts because bed size quilts are big and expensive.”

While most of the quilts Hougen makes are for family and friends, she has also put her talent to use to construct Quilts of Valor for area veterans.

Hougen explains the process she goes through when constructing a quilt.

“Normally, I pick the pattern first and then the fabric I am going to use,” she says. “But, sometimes you see a fabric that really grabs your attention. In that case, I buy the fabric and then pick the pattern.”

As for how long it takes so make a quilt, Hougen says it really depends on the pattern.

“A more complicated pattern takes longer to complete,” she notes.

The final step involves taking the quilt to someone who has a longarm sewing machine, which is in essence, a large sewing machine with a really long throat (sometimes up to 30 inches), that sits on a rail system that allows the machine to swing back and forth.

“The longarmer (as persons who operate the machine are called) who I have used for years retired,” Hougen says. “Longarming is getting to be a little bit of a lost art so I am still searching for someone who has a machine and would be able to finish my quilts.”

One of Hougen’s favorite quilts to make is a mystery quilt.

“A designer will come out with a mystery quilt and will set the guidelines on the color and amount of fabric to be used,” she explains. “Then, the designer starts giving clues every two weeks or once a month, which might be what pieces to cut out of what fabric, what pieces to sew together or how to trim them. A person doesn’t know what it’s going to look like until it is finished.”

Hougen notes that quilters have their own community.

“Quilters generally have two hobbies, quilting and shopping for quilt supplies,” she observes. “Although, I will admit that I have also taken up cross stitching.”

Hougen expresses her feelings that the area is very fortunate to have a shop like Michele’s Quilting and Sewing located in Blue Earth.

“It allows me to buy a lot of my supplies locally,” she says. “It is also a great place to go to when you are looking for inspiration for your next project.”

Hougen has been a member of the local Blue Earth Valley Quilters group for about 10 years.

“I would encourage anybody just getting into quilting to join the group,” she says. “You would be surprised to find who is in the group and they can be a great resource to draw on when you need answers.”

Hougen also offered some other advice for new quilters.

“There are no quilt police so don’t expect to be perfect,” Hougen states. “Sew what you like and don’t be afraid to ask for advice.”

While she normally enters one of her quilts in the open class competition at the Faribault County Fair, Hougen chose not to this year.

“This was the first year in quite some time that I did not enter a quilt,” she says. “I did have a Grand Champion quilt one year which is quite an honor when you consider the excellent quilters in the area.”

One of those quilters is Mike Ellingson. Though he now lives in Decorah, Iowa, Ellingson still belongs to the local quilt group.

“It was actually Mike who asked me to be the Featured Quilter at this year’s EXPO,” Hougen shares. “Mike is going to be the featured speaker on Saturday during the event.”

The 40th Annual Quilt EXPO will be held Aug. 16-18, at the Blue Earth Area High School. There is a $6 admission fee, but children under 12 get in free. In addition to the hundreds of quilts which will be on display, vendors, a boutique, a quilt challenge, bed turning and other special exhibits will also be at the show. Sponsors include the Calico Hutch Quilt Shop in Hayward, the Old Alley Quilt Shop in Sherburn, Michele’s Quilting and Sewing and Heartland Embroidery, both of Blue Earth, Heartland Retreat of Elmore and CCF Bank.

“I was surprised when Mike asked me to be the Featured Quilter,” Hougen concludes. “I look at the Featured Quilters of the past and their work has always been so stunning. I never thought of my work that way.”