STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

What is almost as beautiful as stained glass windows?

That would be quilts.

And the 5Bee Quilt Guild has taken the unique step of pairing the two together.

The guild, which boasts about 35 members, will be showing 50 quilts at the historic Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Hailey from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 4. Guild members are draping the quilts over the pews.

The opportunity to see the quilts nestled under the historic stained glass windows is free. The quilts themselves are modern quilts made by guild members for family and friends.

Janet Houts, for instance, is showing a few quilts that she has featured in quilt books she’s written on log cabin and other designs.

There’s a Civil War Bride quilt and a quilt featuring quilt pieces made into flowers. Others simply boast materials featuring big flashy flowers.

“We love the idea of draping quilts over the pews,’ said Janet Houts. “We like the way the stained glass windows seems to light them.”

In addition, the quilters will be selling quilted items in a tent outside, along with raffle tickets for a quilt to be raffled off next fall. Featuring wool applique on top of cotton, it will be a calendar quilt with a sheep theme.

Money raised from the raffle will help the group continue to make quilts for children in hospitals and seniors at The Senior Connection. They also make 200 pillowcases for campers attending Camp Rainbow Gold, a camp for kids with cancer, each year.

The 5Bee Quilters Guild meets at 6 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Hailey. For information, contact Janet Orchard at 208-720-2445.

“We get inspired by seeing what others have done. And we have a lot of camaraderie sewing together,” said Margie Gould.