Camaraderie, creativity and sewing talents came together in a recent project undertaken by the Logan County Friendly Senior Center’s Friendly Quilters, which resulted in a group quilt that was recently installed as a permanent fixture as a wall hanging at the 934 S. Main St. center.
Each of the individual group members created a quilt block for the red, white and blue themed quilt, with the only requirement being that their square include those patriotic colors.
Thursday morning as the group gathered for one of their twice a month sessions — which take place on the first and third Thursdays at the center — they marveled at how the quilt came together and the variety of styles shared by the different members.
“It’s fun to see the different patterns and designs that everyone came up with,” city resident Karen Richards said. “Each block is a little different, but it comes together for a beautiful piece.”
“We’re really pleased with how it turned out,” fellow Bellefontaine resident Sue Clem agreed. “We were really excited to be able to install the quilt here at the senior center to be able to share it with others.”
Clem explained that the group members created their individual quilt blocks on their own, and then they took it to a long-arm quilter to complete the piece.
Earl LeVan assisted the Friendly Quilters with installing the quilt in the main activity room, which hosts senior meals and a number of other activities, card games, Bingo and clubs throughout the week.
The group quilt also complements another collaborative piece on display at the senior center activity room — a wooden “quilt” created by the Wood Carvers’ Club, which was donated to the center last year, as previously detailed in the Examiner.
During their gatherings, the Friendly Quilters also are busy creating charity quilts for local organizations, including a current project to make colorful baby quilts to benefit Rustic Hope in Russia, Ohio, which assists single mothers before, during and after delivery.
Other recipients of the charity quilts have included the Logan County Women Infants and Children program and local veterans.
“It feels good to give back; giving the gift of a quilt can help to provide comfort,” said Pat Wax of Belle Center, while surveying a table filled fabric donated by the members for the baby quilts.
“We were able to bring in all of this fabric through just searching our little stock piles at home. We tend to be pretty resourceful.”
Sisters Grace Dodds and Nadine Noel also are members of the Friendly Quilters, which they said is an enjoyable outlet.
“I love to sew and the chance to be creative; it’s very relaxing,” Dodds said. “It’s nice to be able to call up Nadine or some of the other members to get their opinion on a quilt I’m working on.”
Richards related that the quilting club helps her to continue to hone the sewing and quilting skills she learned as a youngster from her grandmother.
“I’ve learned so much from the different members here; it is a lot of fun,” said the local artist, who also is painting a mural on a shed in her backyard.
Clem invited others to join in with the Friendly Quilters at their meetings or to check out other clubs at the senior center.
“There is something for everyone and for a variety of interests,” she said. “We love having new people join in.”
Fellow members who assisted with the group quilt also included: Carmel Elliott, Pam Flora, Regina Hicks, Phyllis Johnson, Dorothy Longbrake, Kathy McClure, Jody Morris, Carol Parker, Leslie Slorp, Nancy Smith, Sherrie Stegmeier and Sue Wilgus.