Ardis Stenbakken – Loveland, Colorado … “Quilts with a Story” drew over 30 women to the Campion Women’s Ministries program, January 21. They brought quilts: new quilts and quilts that their grandmothers made; some over 100 years old and some with interesting stories.
Jeanette Fortner, the Campion Women’s Ministries leader, welcomed everyone with prayer and pointed out the hot drinks available in a variety of dainty China cups. And then the show began.
Each woman who brought a quilt showed her quilt and told the story of how she came to own it. Some showed quilts they had made, and others quilts they had inherited. One participant showed a “Quilt in a Day” that took her a year to complete, but she was in medical school during that year.
Several showed quilts that their grandmothers had made. As one participant said, “There were 11 of us, and I, as the oldest, got to choose first; it was hard!” But the quilt was beautiful.
Another quilt, made by the grandmother, had “Willie” embroidered on it. When asked later about how many received such quilts, Willie tried to add them up—and gave up. There were quilts that were given at baby showers and quilts that were wedding gifts.
There were several quilt tops made of flour sack fabrics from the 30’s and 40’s. One was a top that the seamstress made and took with her to China as a missionary. When the Communists drew near to the city where they worked, the Amah (she watched the children and kept the house while the adults attended language school) and a friend of hers worked through several nights to get the batting and back on and get it quilted.
Almost everyone said they hoped that the “Quilt with a Story” could be repeated, and even more women invited as most of the ladies said they had other quilts with a story at home.
—Ardis Stenbakken is the Campion Adventist Church communication director and is involved with Women’s and Family Ministries. Photos supplied.
