HOWARD (NBC 26) — One year ago a group of women met at a Howard sewing shop to quilt for those in need. Now, they show no signs of slowing down.
- Video shows women sewing at Quilting Divas Sewing Boutique in Howard, as they have done for the past year
- While cleaning out her sewing room, a Hobart woman got the idea to quilt with her friends and give the blankets away to charity
- They have given to several charity groups over the past year, including Veterans 1st of Northeast Wisconsin and Wounded Warriors United of Wisconsin
- About a dozen women altogether make the quilts, some do so at the shop and others quilt from home
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Here at Quilting Divas Sewing Boutique, a group of women meets with their sewing machines to quilt for a cause. I'm your Howard neighborhood reporter Pari Apostolakos, here to introduce you to the comfort quilters.
“It’s my way of giving to people in need.”
Wednesday morning is a special day at this Howard sewing shop. The comfort quilters are celebrating one year of giving back.
“I love it. I love that we have an outlet for our creativity, and that they’ll be well used and well loved," said Sandy Schoen.
The idea to make quilts to give away to charity came to Mary Bainbridge of Hobart on a day like any other.
“I decided to clean my sewing room, which is always a bad thing, and I found I had more fabric than I imagined. And I have a lot of fabric,” said Bainbridge.
She talked with Quilting Divas Sewing Boutique owner Terrie Laluzerne. They decided to get a group of women together once a month to quilt for a cause.
“My mission when I opened the shop was to create a quilting community, quilters are very giving people,” said Laluzerne.
And give, they have. Dozens of quilts have been given to groups that help veterans, teens aging out of foster care, and children in abusive situations, to name a few.
Since her grandkids are all grown up, Sandy Schoen loves to make quilts for kids in need.
“What’s so fun with comfort quilting is it allows us to make quilts that we may not be able to make and give to family and friends,” said Schoen.
And on the group’s one year anniversary, they show no signs of slowing down.
“I can serve you a dinner, I can bake you whatever, I can be at the shelter, I can be at the food pantry. But, to me, to put all the stitches and the fabric and just my caring into this quilt, it is something that you can wrap yourself in… Maybe this makes a difference in your life, and it’s something can do,” said Bainbridge.
