Country Stitchers more than just quilting
Staff writer
Editor's note: This the fourth in the series on quilting. The purpose of these articles is to bring attention to the art of quilting in hopes that others will join these quilting groups and continue the tradition.
In its 16th year the Country Stitchers Quilt Guild is going strong, and its members are eager to learn new things about quilting.
The 28 members of the group vary in ages and come from different backgrounds. Their professions range from school teachers and a retired principal to business owners and farm and house wives.
They come from not only the Hillsboro area but from Durham, Marion, and Lincolnville.
Several members belong to the quilt guild and are also members of their church quilting circle.
The group meets the first Monday of each month at the Hillsboro United Methodist Church. Charlene Driggers serves as president, Mary Lancaster is vice president, Brenda Coryea is secretary, Jan Meisinger is treasurer, and Vickie Kraus is newsletter editor.
According to Nancy Methvin, program chairperson, the purpose of the Country Stitchers Quilt Guild is to promote the appreciation of quilting and its historical value.
"Not all our members are quilters themselves," Methvin said, "Some are collectors."
The group is involved in a service project each year. According to Paula Perry, former president of the group, in previous years they have made lap robes for all the nursing homes in Marion County.
"We stopped making them for the homes because they had so many," Perry said.
Now the group makes quilts for the Linus Project. The quilts, ranging from infant-size to twin-size, are given to children or teens who have been removed from their homes due to fire or abusive situations.
"They are so happy to receive a quilt of their own," Perry said.
Last year, the quilt guild made approximately 30 quilts for the Linus Project.
Several times a year the group invites speakers to come in and talk about some aspect of quilting.
Because of the various talents in group, the quilters are always looking for new and innovative ways of quilting (hand and machine), doing wall hangings, appliqué, embroidery, fabric folding, and other handwork.
"I like the diversity of our group," Lancaster said. "We have more avenues of ideas to share and help to get our individual projects done."
At their April meeting, the speaker was Debbie Wiesner from Derby, who designs her own quilting patterns with appliqué. Her two-year-old company is Out on a Limb.
Wiesner shared her life story and her love for quilting and sewing. Her patterns have been selected and featured in the Keepsake Quilting Catalogue magazine.
During their meeting, the quilt guild has show and share time. The members share the various quilting items they have made or are working on. They ask for input from the group on how to finish a particular project or what to do to enhance the beauty of it. They also bring in items they feel may be of interest to the other members.
Group members sort through and share books on quilting for other members to read and browse through.
They also take tours to quilt shops to learn new ideas and to buy patterns or other quilting items. In July, they will tour The Sunflower Quilt Shop in Derby.
Driggers announced to the group that the Hillsboro Chamber office asked Country Stitchers Quilt Guild to present a quilt display for the Hillsboro Family Folk Festival in May. The members agreed and will bring their quilting and handwork items to put on display. Members were asked to help man the booth during the folk festival.
The group also has an auction and quilt show about every three years. In October of 2003 during the Tabor Homecoming weekend, guild members displayed their individual projects for viewing, and some were sold at the auction.
"We have a lot of fun in our group," Lancaster and Perry said. "We really enjoy meeting with these ladies."
