THE SPIRIT OF GIVING

Combining Fellowship, Faith, and Need One Stitch At A Time

By Kim Malakowsky

Photography by Jill Ockhardt www.ockhardtphoto.com

Wednesday mornings at Atonement Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND are witness to a long-time fellowship among some very special ladies named the Piece Makers.

Ten to twelve women gather each week to cut, sew, layer, and knot creating beautiful quilts to aid those in need. The room is bright— shelves filled with a sea of colorful fabrics waiting to be cut, a nearly finished quilt on the table giving a peek at what will be.

Among the group are charter members Mayvis Solberg and Pat Westgard, each proudly professing to over 40 years as part of the group. Mayvis, at 99 ½ years old, has sewn over 1000 quilt tops. Even now she takes home squares cut for her by Judi Lundstrom and sews two tops a week bringing them back for the rest of the group to layer and finish.

It wasn’t a seamless start, but over the years the group has perfected their art. “The first quilt we made had five corners,” exclaims Westgard! “Ladies from First Lutheran came over and showed us the process of layering the quilts and taping them to a tabletop before tying. We still do them that way today.”

Fabrics in the form of cut yardage, sheets, and pillowcases are donated. Most materials are new though many are found in clearance bins. Many area women who sew or quilt save small cuts and donate to the church quilters. “They (recipients) deserve something new,” says Lundstrom, indicating the reason mostly new materials are used.

The Piece Makers create over 300 quilts each year, designating half of them as mission quilts and half as community quilts. They are strong believers in helping those in need both internationally and domestically.

Where do the quilts go? Internationally, Lutheran World Relief and Friends of

Chimbote are recipients. Lutheran World Relief distributes to various countries while Friends of Chimbote is a mission in northern Peru, founded by Father Jack Davis of Devils Lake, ND. Closer to home quilts are distributed to Churches United, YWCA, and Clay County Juvenile Center, as well as the Perry Center and Cribs for Christ who receive baby quilts.

The love of sewing and giving doesn’t end with Wednesday mornings. Quilt top kits are provided to those who wish to sew at home during the week. And after attending a workshop for learning the process of turning pillowcases into dresses some of the women began making the dresses for donating. Recently came “britches for boys” made from t-shirts.

Many quilt clubs don’t meet during the summer months but the Piece Makers are committed to meeting 50 times a year, skipping only when a holiday falls on a Wednesday.

When asked why the ladies give of their time each week, the answer was unanimous— “fellowship and need”. “When you leave here you feel like you’ve accomplished something for someone else,” Westgard reflects. [AWM]