‘Sewing Circles’ to Celebrate 70 Years of the Pennsylvania Relief Sale

Above: Helena Dueck pictured with ‘Sewing Circles.’

In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Relief Sale, a commemorative quilt titled Sewing Circles will be sold at the Quilt Auction on April 18, 2026. Created especially for this milestone year, the quilt captures the spirit, tradition, and community that have defined the sale for seven decades. 

The quilt’s center panel features 70 circles, each representing a year of faithful support and generosity. Designed by Ellen Ressler, appliquéd by Helena Dueck, and quilted by Irene Shenk, Sewing Circles is a collaborative work of art – much like the sale itself. The fabric was thoughtfully selected with a wide variety of colors and patterns popular across different decades of quiltmaking.

Ressler, who has supported the Pennsylvania Relief Sale for more than 30 years, found inspiration in the many “circles” that make the event possible. “Although my original thought focused on the sewing aspect of the sale, the circles can also represent the bigger picture,” she explains. “So many groups work independently and then come together on the days of the sale — the food stands, the craft stand, the book sale, the auctioneers, coin counters, and Quilters Attic, just to name a few.”

According to Ressler, who describes the sale as “a creative outlet for a good cause,” once you start thinking in circles, you’ll see them in all corners of the sale. “The circles could represent ham sandwiches, bowls of soup, donuts, whoopie pies, coins — all surrounded by quilts. There are lots of round things at the sale — just take a look.”

For 70 years, the Pennsylvania Relief Sale has supported Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), a global nonprofit organization that shares God’s love and compassion through relief, development, and peacebuilding. The 70th Annual PA Relief Sale will be held April 17–18, 2026, at the GIANT Expo Hall at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex.

Join the celebration, experience the fellowship, and take part in a tradition that continues to make a difference around the world.