Sentimental Stitches

                  Helen is taking her hobby of quilt making one step further and is using her skills to bless the Ronald McDonald House.  It was requested that for a guest bedroom in the house, something bright would be sewn to replace two worn comforters that would soon be retired.  Colorful hot air balloons, rainbow stripes and lime green cotton and fleece squares will now be combined to make the building blocks of the new quilts.

               
                 These quilts have been, and will be, Helen’s summer project.  She began cutting four-inch squares with the springing buds of June, the assembly will take all of July and August, until wrapping up a hopeful completion of the two quilts by mid-September.  The two matching quilts are good projects to keep Helen in “quilting shape” as she wants to make her grandchildren a quilt with their sports shirts at graduation.  Her first grandchild of three will have commencement this spring.

                As she sits with four stacks of fabric, three inches or more in depth, Helen wonders how many years it’s been since she made her first quilt.  It was about ten years ago that she made a puff quilt that she gave to her mother.  She’s also made quilts that have been sold at her church’s bazaar to support the women’s group.  There are a few in her home, a few she’s given as gifts, and now she’s been hopeful her sewing will provide something durable to use for the Ronald McDonald House guest room.

                “This fabric is one I feel is more durable.  Some fabrics tend to ravel very quickly. I’m hoping that this quilt will be strong enough to weather frequent washings once or twice a week,” shares Helen.

                Helen doesn’t shy away from the layers of sewing it takes to make a quilt.  One of the previous quilts she’s made was red, white and blue, made from double knits.  It is a heavy quilt that is great for cold nights. The cotton and fleece combination is going to be easy compared to the efforts it took to complete that quilt.  Now Helen’s made several quilts, especially in the past six years, and now she’s sewing with the support of the Ronald McDonald house volunteers and staff, and will have several families who will admire the colorful quilts as they stay as guests at the house.  For those reasons, we’re confident Helen will keep sewing and have something beautiful to share come September.