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By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter
If a person threw around the word “appliqué” in conversation, one might think the person had just taken a trip to Paris and is practicing some newly learned French. However, this is a common word to a quilter, which obviously refers to a needlework technique to create a pattern or design on a fabric square out of other pieces of fabric. While quilting and the techniques to produce a beautiful, snuggly quilt can be complicated and tedious, the Westwood Library quilters certainly make it look easy.
The quilters meet at the library on the last Monday of every month to work together and show one another any works in progress or completed quilts. On August 28’s meeting, one quilter brought her completed horoscope-inspired quilt in to present to her fellow quilters. Among the fabulous blue, purple, and orange colors of the fabrics were machine embroidered zodiac symbols. “I don’t recall how long it took me,” said the horoscope quilt creator, laughing as the other local quilters examined her project in awe. “But it took a while!”
The quilters compliment and critique each other’s work as they present finished projects at the monthly quilting meeting. Photos by Laura Drinan
As the quilters set up their machines and sewing kits, they chatted about anything and everything in just the few hours they dedicated to quilting at the library each month. One quilter worked on a project for women in Africa while two others collaborated on an equestrian-themed quilt. Meanwhile, two other quilters made progress on their creations as they joked with each other.
In the event that the quilters don’t have anything of their own to work on, they try to help each other with unfinished projects. Many quilting guilds ask quilters to expand their horizons by giving them challenges. One challenge for the summer tasked quilters with a modern quilt using three colors and geometric patterns.
Many quilters find that their projects are rarely ever kept for themselves. However, quilts make fantastic gifts to charity and to family. One quilter recalled the joy of gifting a quilt to her grandson: “He said to me, ‘You know, Nana, it’s the first thing I put on my bed and then it feels like home.’ It’s a lot of hours put into them,” she said, “but they [my grandchildren] are really appreciative of them.”
Two local quilters sit at their stations to work on their projects at the Westwood Library’s quilting meeting. Photos by Laura Drinan
While blankets are easy to come by and can cost as little as just a few dollars, the effort, carefulness, and love put into a handmade quilt is what separates an ordinary blanket from a quilt that feels like home.
