A CUTTER QUILT IS TRANSFORMED – Around The Frame

For the past several years, the first weekend of November has brought a most welcome visitor to Born Again Quilts. Macedonian Marvin Moehle drives from Granite City, Illinois to Fort Wayne to attend the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Annual Macedonian Ball. For the past few years his visits have been even better because Macedonian John Pogoncheff of Lansing has joined him on his trek.

My birthday hits on or near this weekend, so I look forward to what kind of cake and card “The Guys” will bring me, and also, what quilt(s) Marvin has been given to pass along to me. This year the cake was a moist 7-Up cake with lemon frosting, the birthday card featured a gray cat that resembled my son’s feline Harley and the quilt was a scrappy six-pointed star on life support.

Now everything has a life cycle, and sadly this scrappy hand-quilted quilt was heavily damaged with ripped fabrics and exposed wads of cotton batting. I gladly accepted the quilt and laid it aside, as I knew I did not have the time at the moment to restore it to a better state.

Enter my good friend Marcia Neeley. Marcia is a crafter and a quilter who has been busy doing weekend craft shows at churches and schools. She comes by and spots this forlorn quilt all folded up and nowhere to go. She inquires if I have any use for it and I tell her “no”. She asks if she could do something with it and I gladly pass it on to her.

This week Marcia comes by to show me her creation: A Christmas stocking featuring one of the stars on an angle and decorated with lace and trims: WOW! Marcia points out that she sewed a piece of tulle a netting fabric most commonly associated with veils, wedding gowns and ballet tutus over the entire front when she assembled it. The tulle is barely visible and it helps protect the shabby fabric and keeps the batting in check.

I am so grateful to Marvin for putting this quilt into my hands and delighted Marcia created something so beautiful out of it. It’s nice to reflect that this quilt that could have easily been put out for trash will soon be stuffed with small gifts for someone special on Christmas Day.