Serving Joyfully
By Deborah Burke Henderson
Sixteen women, including Karen Conca, Susan Mogren and Martha Pellegrino of Holliston, pictured above, left to right, gathered together to work on and create handmade quilts at The Power of the Quilt Project's annual MLK Day community service quilt-a-thon at the Unitarian Universalist Area Church, First Parish of Sherborn.
Some volunteers sewed labels to the 18 comfort quilts made over the past several weeks, four quilt tops were created on site at the event, two quilts were hand tied and six colorful quilts were “sandwiched” with batting and a cozy flannel backing, to be machine stitched at home or Longarm stitched by Creative Longarm Partners in Marlborough, Mass.
All three Holliston residents learned how to “hand tie” the three layers of a quilt together, honoring the traditional technique of years past. They worked on a quilt that incorporated Civil War reproduction fabrics and 100-year-old block designs. Each volunteer commented as to how much they enjoyed the fellowship experienced during this day of service and the meaningfulness of the project’s mission. They are eager to participate again at the spring quilt-a-thon to be held on Saturday, March 17, 2018, National Quilting Day.
The completed quilts are blessed during Sunday worship and will be immediately distributed to men and women undergoing chemotherapy treatments at a Boston-based medical center. “The nurse at the medical facility enjoys matching the right quilt and recipient, based on colors, interests and designs,” volunteer Sally Demler noted.
The Power of the Quilt Project, first established in 2003, is one of the UUAC's many service and justice ministries. The work of volunteer piecers and quilters from area towns contribute to making more than 100 comfort quilts for distribution annually. Quilts with animal-themed or youth-oriented fabrics are created especially for Project Linus to bring warmth and comfort to young children facing hardship who are staying in hospitals or shelters.
To RSVP for the March 17 quilt-a-thon, contact The Power of the Quilt Project coordinator Diane McNamara at dimcnamara@verizon.net. For more information about the project and to see volunteers in action, visit the PQP blog at http://www.powerofthequilt.blogspot.com.