LOIS ON LOIS – Around The Frame

The Pieceful Quilters second biennial quilt show held August 4-5 in Monroeville was very nice. Many of the quilts were laid out over church pews and a few were hung up. There were machine and hand quilted, appliqué, pieced and embroidered quilts of various sizes and designs. The numerous vendors offered modern and antique quilts, custom made stuffed animals, handmade cards, dolls, doll clothes, Christmas ornaments, wreaths to name a few.

When I first arrived at the show on Friday I heard the name “Lois” a lot. I learned there were three of us there. Lois (Wietfeldt) Weber a member of the Pieceful Quilters took second place in the “People’s Choice judging. Her winning quilt “Noah and the Ark” was created from a pattern can be found in the book “Quilts for all Seasons” by Oxmoor Publishing. The quilt is made of various embroidered animals, the dove with the olive branch, the sun, rainbow and of course Noah. She and her husband Dick had learned on Mother’s Day a new great-grand baby was on the way so she created the quilt with the hope the images would encourage the new parents to tell their child the story of Noah, the great flood, the rainbow and God’s promise. It took Lois seven weeks to hand embroider and quilt around each piece and bind it.

Lois was born in Adams County but has lived almost all her life in Allen County. She is the third generation of her family living in a farmhouse that was started in 1907 by her grandparents.

Lois started sewing when her mom bought her first electric sewing machine in the early 50s. Lois was in 4-H for ten years where she improved her skills. Although her mom quilted for many years, her parents moved to a warmer climate and Lois didn’t learn to quilt until the youngest of her four children was an 8th grader. Now thirty years later she still quilts and loves it (Dick is smiling as she reflects on this.)

Today Lois enjoys the lighter colors, traditional patterns and the look of hand quilting. Since joining the Pieceful Quilters three years ago she has learning new techniques. Her preference for hand quilting though is still strong as she enjoys all sorts of handwork: even mending socks!

It’s such a joy for her to share and encourage the new gals in her quilt group. She tells them the story that when she made her first quilt from start to finish she did not know that special needles called “betweens” were made just for hand quilting. A dear neighbor lady shared and brought her a package of needles. I’m certain Lois had paid that kindness forward tenfold.

Lois also enjoys getting together with the fine church ladies at her own church, St. John Flatrock. They have been meeting for 13 years and she treasures her weekly time with her friends.

Lois and I share a love of hand needlework and replacing worn quilt squares in order to breathe new life into old quilts. I’m so delighted to have met Lois and to see her receive her well-deserved people’s choice award.

Lois Levihn is the owner of Born Again Quilts, 4005 South Wayne Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 260-515-9446 or bornagainquilts@frontier.com.