Volunteers Donate Colorful Skills

Quilters aim to comfort children

Tiffany Brown-Gazette-Times Barbara Lund, left, passes Larky Hansen freshly ironed fabric squares during a quilting workshop Saturday morning at Consumers Power. ‘We like the fact that we're giving children quilts that they really use for comfort. It's really a win- win situation. I like the company (while sewing) and I like the cause,' said Hansen. Jan Tallis works at right.

BY MARY ANN ALBRIGHT
Gazette-Times reporter

PHILOMATH — Sewing machines and brightly colored fabrics peppered tables in a meeting room at Consumers Power Saturday afternoon as 20 women worked on quilts they'll donate to children removed from meth houses.

Judy Block settled on a space theme, selecting patterns of moons, stars and rockets. She contrasted her boldly colored squares with black and white accents, a metaphor for life.

“To me, there's way more color in life than there is black and white,” she said, adding that she hopes her quilt brightens a child's day during difficult times.

Tracy Byers of Summerwinds Quilts and Cathy Cunningham taught the two-day workshop using a “magic quilt” pattern.

This design yields enough material for two quilts, one 45 inches by 45 inches, the other 72 inches by 72 inches. Each fabric appears twice as a center block, twice as a cornerstone, and twice as a side piece.

Each of the women at this weekend's course will donate her smaller quilt to a child removed from a meth home or other dangerous living situation.

The participants worked on the tops of their quilts Friday evening and all day Saturday. They hope to finish by March 25 so Byers can deliver the blankets to the Corvallis Police Department's detective unit and to Benton County CASA-Voices for Children.

The quilts were as different as the women who made them, and each used 18 distinct fabrics.

Judy Juntunen focused on a pinwheel theme. She's accustomed to using fewer fabrics on quilts, so this project was a fun stretch. Juntunen signed up for the workshop because the quilts would go to children in need.

“I have four kids and seven grandkids. The idea of providing a little comfort, if you can't do it personally, then through your quilt, is nice,” Juntunen said.

Corvallis police detective Shawn Houck and Joanna Engle, newly appointed director of CASA, spoke to the quilters about the meth epidemic and how these blankets will help children.

CASA stands for court-appointed special advocate, and it's a national association.

When a child is taken from a home, a judge appoints a CASA volunteer to advocate for the child's interests.

“The CASA's responsibility is to look into the situation from a child's point of view because a 2-year-old can't say, “This is what I need.' That's what the CASA does,” Engle said.

Byers decided to organize the quilting event when she learned that many children taken from meth homes have no clothes or are clad only in a diaper. They're scared, and the quilt can act like a teddy bear to make them feel warm and secure, she said.

Kim Gray attended with her friend Connie Holloway. She said it was a nice way to spend a day sewing with friends and contribute to the community.

She chose the loudest, brightest colors she could find for her quilt, kid-friendly patterns she wouldn't normally select for her own sewing projects.

“Hopefully it will just get snuggled and worn to death. I hope it gets very well used,” Gray said.

My Time at the Workshop
by Judy Block - Quilter

I was very excited about having this opportunity to create a quilt that would be the "loving arms" that might be the first to reach out to a child in need of warmth and love. We can all imagine what a frightening experience it might be for a young child to experience seperation and fear of what is happening to them at a time like this.

I had my fabrics cut out and ready to sew at the beginning of class. I also had a secondary motivation, that was to finish the donation quilt for CASA and The Corvallis Police Department in time to move into the second quilt of the event.. for me was a graduation gift that I wanted to get at least started with in order to complete for June.

I finished the main part of the quilt top on Saturday early afternoon, with plans
to take it home and add borders and
complete through the quilting process.

I will be naming my donation quilt.. 'Life is not "all" Black and White. Look for the Color Around You.'

This small quilt will finish at 45" x 45" and will incorporate the bright yellow space themed fabric on the back. A fun place for a child's imagination. Finished with machine quilting.

My personal Thanks to Tracy Byers and Cathy Cunningham of Summerwinds Quilts for facilitating this event.

even more fun, fast & easy quilting ideas...

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Last Updated: March 7, 2006