Page 18 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - April 2017 - 24-04

Page 18 Senior Times - April 2017
THE JOY OF QUILTING
By: Andrea Boughton
There is a lot of math to quilting - first figuring out what size to cut pieces so that the overall block and blocks together make up the size of quilt you are looking for, and then in translating that to how much fabric to purchase. One rule all quilters quickly learn is consistency in cutting and sewing sure makes a difference in how easy the blocks go together.
Looking at my finished quilts gives me great pleasure to think that I took stacks of fabric and turned it into such a neat design. Quilting allows a person to express their creativity using fabric as the medium. I always find it so amazing how a group of individuals can make the same quilt pattern, yet each quilt turns out so different. It all depends on the colors they chose to use and how they use those colors in the quilt pattern. For instance, making the Ohio Star pattern
(a quilt pattern that has a square in the center of the block surrounded by hour glass looking blocks), one individual will use white as the background, a color for the center square, and a different color for the hour glasses, while another person will use black as the background and the same color for the square and hour glass pieces. Side by side, though the same quilt pattern was used, it looks like two completely different quilts. Different patterns emerge or different aspects of the quilt ‘pop’ out of the quilt. The one that uses white, there will be a pattern both in the hour glass pieces and in the stars themselves, whereas the black background quilt will make the entire star stand out.
I’m so thankful my mom signed my sister and me up all those years ago to learn quilting. It has giving me such great pleasure and resulted in masterpieces I am so proud to cherish.
If you are interested in learning more about quilting, check out the Calco Quilt Guild that meets the second Monday of the month at Lakeview Baptist Church at 7pm.
Log Cabin, Grandmother’s Flower Garden, Irish Chain, and Texas Star are just a few
of the wonderful patterns quilters can create resulting in beautiful, yet useful masterpieces.
My maternal Grandmother made quilts, making templates out of card stock, cutting each piece by hand, assembling the top with machine, and then finishing the quilt by tying it to lock the top, batting and backing together. Though, techniques have changed some over time, the joy of quilting remains.
I began learning to quilt when I was just ten years old; my mom signed me up in the local 4-H Club (Happy Harversters is the club in our area). We are very fortunate to have an excellent quilting leader in our neighborhood. From the age of ten until
I was 21, I made and exhibited quilting projects each year at the county fair.
The neat thing about quilting is you can use the skills to make more than just quilts for the bed. Along with large size quilts,
I also made wall hangings, a tote bag, a vest, and a lap quilt throw.
Though I am beyond 4-H age, I am still a member of our local neighborhood quilters
that meets from September to April every year to learn new quilt blocks, catch up on the latest neighborhood news, and work on quilts to share with our local community. Last year, our group made 27 quilts for the Oaklawn Hospice facility. Each meeting, we would get a new quilt block assignment and one of the members would take our completed blocks home to make the quilt top. Sometimes, our leader asks us to use particular colors for the blocks, other times, we use whatever colors we choose. I must say, the completely scrappy quilts (ones that we each chose whatever colors we want) are some of the neatest quilts. When we first lay the blocks out on the table,
all of the different colors seem a bit much. However, every time the completed top comes back, the colors just seem to mesh together so nicely.
Through quilting, we have an outlet for our creativity, keeping our hands busy, doing something constructive, and keeping our mind active.
Hosted by
McCamly Plaza Hotel & J.W. Barleycorn's
Sunday, April 16, 2017
McCamly Plaza Hotel Admission $15.95 Seatings at 11am and 1pm
50 Capital Avenue SW, Battle Creek, MI 49017 (269) 963-7050