PIECEFUL QUILTERS GATHER TO BENEFIT OTHERS – Around The Frame

The Pieceful Quilters group of Monroeville are having a Community Sew-In on February 18th at the Monroeville Public Library located at 115 Main St.  Anyone wanting to help sew, press, pin or cut fabric is invited to join in.

I meet with the founder of the PQs Monroeville native Kathy Beauchot. Kathy explains to me that after leaving Monroeville for 26 years and then returning, she wanted to start a quilt group with an emphasis on the members doing their personal projects rather than community projects. So, Kathy puts an ad in the local newspaper and 17 women show up for the first meeting in January 2014. The members seem content to gather to work on their individual projects sharing advice, new techniques, and camaraderie as they meet monthly at the library.

The group continues to grow and in August of 2015 they organize their very first quilt show/bazaar which is well received by the surrounding communities. Now after spending all of these months getting caught up in getting their UFOs (UnFinished Objects) under control, Kathy starts to feel a little guilty and she suggests to the group that they organize a sew-in to benefit others.

All of the women agree it is time. Kathy has a niece who delivered a premature baby, so she knows first hand the need for items suitable for preemies. At the Sew–In pillowcases that slip over a mattress along with small quilts and kimonos for the premature babies at Parkview Regional Hospital and pillowcases and small quilts for Lutheran Social Services’ ECHO, Res Care Youth Services and Woodburn Christian Children’s Home will be created en masse. The residents of Adams-Heritage long term care facility will be delighted with their new walker bags made out of upholstery fabric donated by Born Again Quilts.

Kathy cannot emphasize enough: If you are not a sewer, you can help cut, pin and press fabric. If you are interested give Kathy a call. The PQs will also accept fabric, batting or any other items you may wish to donate. It’s not too early to “spring clean” and check closets and drawers for fabric in need of a new purpose. You can drop off donations on Saturdays between 9:00 and 2:00 at Born Again Quilts, 4005 South Wayne Avenue, Fort Wayne or call Kathy 260-623-2290 and she will arrange a pick-up.

Lois Levihn is the owner of Born Again Quilts a shop/studio that specializes in vintage and reproduction textiles and revitalizing quilts one stitch at a time.  You may contact her at bornagainquilts@frontier.com or 260-515-9446.