Approximately one dozen members of the Logan Piecemakers put their talents and sewing machines to work Monday at the Logan County History Center to make a “big push” as a final work day for their pillowcase project to benefit children in need in Logan County.
At the conclusion of their day, the members had created 242 pillowcases in a plethora of patterns — from ones that will be enjoyed by young children to teenagers — while engaging in friendly conversation.
Also at their meeting that evening, Lois Stoll said an additional 100 pillowcases were brought in by members, bringing their grand total to more than 1,000 pillowcases crafted throughout this year.
All of the pillowcases will be donated to the Logan County Bikers for Santa organization, which is raising public awareness, collecting toys, needed supplies and raising funds to brighten the lives of underprivileged children within Logan County, and is gearing up for their annual toy run on Oct. 8.
“It means a lot that we’re able to do this,” Vice President Jodie Kavanagh said while prepping a pillowcase.
“That is one of the reasons that I wanted to join this quilting guild — being able to give back is really meaningful to us. It’s a way we can help our community.”
In addition to the pillowcases, the Logan Piecemakers also will be donating a T-shirt quilt to the Logan County Bikers for Santa to raffle Oct. 8. The quilt will feature 30 T-shirts donated by Harley Davidson locations around the county, from New York to Louisiana, New Mexico, California and other states, featuring their own unique designs for each site.
“It’s been a big effort to get the T-shirts, and will be really fun to see the quilt come together,” said Logan Piecemakers President Yvonne Siler, who has contacted each of the Harley Davidson locations.
“We are hoping to raise a lot of funds for Logan County Bikers for Santa through the raffle. It will be a really neat collector’s item quilt, and quite valuable, considering each T-shirt would retail at $40, plus the cost of quilting the piece.”
The Logan County Bikers for Santa’s fourth annual toy run registration begins at 9 a.m. Oct. 8 at the Bellefontaine Moose Lodge, and the ride begins at 11 a.m., and ends at Desperado’s in Huntsville. The cost is $10 per person, or a new, unwrapped toy of equal value.
Further details are available on the “Logan County Bikers for Santa” Facebook page.
Along with the T-shirt quilt raffle, Piecemakers members noted that raffle tickets are currently for sale for their OSU Buckeyes themed-quilt. The drawing for that quilt raffle is Dec. 12, with tickets also available for purchase at the Logan County History Center’s Christmas open house that month.
The funds raised through the Buckeye quilt raffle will be used to support their future community service projects.
Members noted with the cost of fabric has jumped recently like many other retail items, with 1 yard of fabric often costing at least $6 and upwards of $10 or more. One pillowcase took about 1 yard of fabric to make.
Other recent Logan Piecemakers service projects have included making placemats for Meals-on-Wheels, lap quilts for area nursing homes, a five-year veteran quilts effort presented at the area schools’ Veterans Day programs, and isolette covers created for NICUs at Columbus and Dayton hospitals.
The Logan Piecemakers also are making plans to celebrate their 40th year in 2023 and will begin celebration projects this September, including through a Sept. 10 quilt show on the lawn of the Sloan Library in Zanesfield.
They will offer beginning quilting classes in a three-part program as well in September, October and November.
The cost is $15 per person and interested individuals can contact Stoll at stolllois or (937) 935-2333, or Siler at (614) 623-3326.
“If you’ve always wanted to learn to quilt, this is a great opportunity,” Stoll said.
New members of any skill level are invited to join the quilt guild at their meetings, which take place at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Logan County History Center, 521 E. Columbus Ave.