Quilters Unite!

“Quilting is the only place where I feel like I’m artistic,” said Joann Kalafut, “I just love fabric!”  Joann, along with two other residents of Sierra View’s independent senior apartments, Agnes Jantz and Edith Allensworth, have joined forces on their second quilting project while living at Sierra View.  These three ladies enjoy the friendship and conversation hand-quilting promotes and agree that quilters are people who are pleasant to be around. Edith said, “A quilt is a cherished possession,” and each of these ladies have made and given quilts to family members and close friends.  “A quilt is something that needs to be shared” said Agnes as she recalled a quilt she made for her grandson when he was 6 years old. “He took it with him to college.”  Joann remarked, “Unlike cooking which is consumed, and cleaning which gets messed up again, a quilt gives me something to show for the work I’ve done.”

Joann, Agnes and Edith got to know each other while working on a quilt earlier in the year for the former Sierra View chaplain, Laura Neufeld along with other residents, LaVada Brandt and Florence Siebert. When that quilt was done they were eager for another project. Some fellow residents suggested that they work on a quilt that could be used as a fundraiser, and they agreed. Most of the quilt top is made from scraps they already had, but they’ve special ordered fabric for the backing and border. The ladies will set up a quilt frame in the lobby of the Sierra View Terraces apartments and anyone who is interested can bring their needle and thimble and join in the fun.  They hope it will be done by early June, but said, “We’re doing this for fun, so when it’s done, it’s done.  If we get more volunteers to help, we’ll finish sooner.”