One stitch at a time
Staff writer
Editor's note: This is the first in a series of articles concentrating on quilting circles and organizations in Hillsboro and the surrounding area. Quilting is in danger of becoming a lost art. We hope to help in some small way to revive quilting, to draw and stimulate those who are younger to learn the art of quilting and to carry on the tradition that has been a part of the Mennonite culture for decades.
Probably one of the oldest quilting circles in and around Hillsboro meets at the Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church in rural Hillsboro. The group gathers once a week on Wednesdays to quilt and do various other service projects as part of their women's ministry of the church.
According to the church's history book, compiled by Peggy Goertzen, local historian, the group began around 1889. "Records were kept by church treasurer Jacob Loewen, Jr., and the first recorded mission sale at Ebenfeld was Sept. 22, 1889."
The ladies have done various service projects through the years including making quilts for their annual mission sale and also for the MCC sale held in Hutchinson.
The group's numbers have decreased throughout the years from 15-20 to 3-10 ladies attending each week.
Last Wednesday, of the 10 women present, five were 80 years old or older. One of the quilters had begun quilting in 1934 for a total of 69 years. Other beginning quilting years ranged from 1935 to 2003 for a combined total of 383 years of quilting experience.
The Ebenfeld quilters are currently working on a whole cloth quilt, which is done by only a few quilters nowadays, according to group members.
The solid piece of cloth, which in earlier years was sewn together to make one large piece of cloth, now is purchased as one large piece. President of the sewing circle Marge Just explained that manufacturers are now catering to the needs of quilters and are making larger pieces so that the quilters no longer have to sew them together.
A pattern is penciled onto the cloth which most of the ladies of the group agreed is very tedious, time consuming hard work.
Edna Suderman, one of the senior members of the group, has done the pattern markings on the group's quilts for years. For a quilt approximately 102 by 118 inches (the size the ladies are currently working), the marking could take several days of full-time work.
Edna usually works for hours, does something else and then comes back to the quilt.
Most agreed that it is an art to be able to do such intricate work. The pattern is laid under the cloth and spread on a table under "good light," and as one part of the cloth is finished, the fabric is turned and the marking of the pattern begins again. All of this is done by hand with a pencil and a ruler, when needed for the lines.
The newest member of the group, Diane Claassen, explained that she has heard of other techniques used to help speed up the process, but this is the way that it has been done for years.
A quilt the size of the one the group was working on, according to longtime member Irene Seibel, would take up to 160 hours for one person to complete. And it would take about 600 yards of thread or roughly two and half spools.
At the MCC sale in Hutchinson, a quilt like the one the group is working on now, could bring $5,000. On the open market, an individual might pay between $1,500 to $2,000.
Most of the ladies continue to quilt because it is a mission for their church as well as for MCC. Another reason is because they enjoy quilting.
Some of the quilters said they like to see the finished product — it's like an artist admiring her work. Still others said it is relaxing; they have time to think, to memorize scripture, to meditate.
Group member Ruth Neufeld said, "You learn a lot things just by talking with others in the group and what they do outside of quilting."
"Time passes by quickly when you quilt," Diane said.
If there is a down side to the art of quilting, it is sore fingers and backaches. Group member Lucille Klassen responded that "drawing blood and staining the fabric" was a disadvantage that she has witnessed during her years of quilting.
The group has taken steps not to let this art form of quilting die out.
"We've been working at that," they all said.
"Back then when some of us started going to sewing circle, it was a social outlet for mothers," Edna said. "Everybody works now, but we stayed at home."
All agreed that quilting takes up a lot of time. It seems to them that most younger ladies don't have the time because of their families, work, church, and other activities.
Diane summed up the feelings of group, "We can't let it die because it is the preservation of an art — quilts are family heirlooms."
