In the Northern New Mexico village of El Rito, the El Rito Quilters’ Guild has been meeting for over 11 years, stitching hundreds of warm, comforting, beautiful quilts.
These hand-made pieces vary from wall-art to baby-size to couch throws, all the way to full-size, giant bed covers. Every quilt is given away to a wide range of recipients. We meet at our local self-supporting public library, so some go to the annual library fund-raiser. The world provides a never-ending stream of relief causes near and far, from the recent earthquake/tsunami in Japan to Habitat for Humanity, to people in our local community who have lost their homes or experienced medical crises. Sometimes our quilts are made to celebrate more joyous occasions, like the many lovingly stitched for weddings or new babies.
Women of all backgrounds and skill levels participate enthusiastically - some award-winning fabric artists, some who can sew up a baby quilt in a day, some who learn new techniques at every meeting, and happily pass them on to the next beginner.
“How did I get to be 60 years old and not know that thread has a front and a back end?”
“Oceans of Peacocks” – a perfect name!
“I’m late, I can’t stay, I just had to come for a quick minute to be with you.”
“For me, quilt-making is prayer-making.”
The quilters group is a refuge, a fellowship, a sangha, a support group – lots of that – a voter education group, a weekly news bulletin board. “Their home was a total loss? We better make them a quilt,” and an all-around Tips For Living forum.
Our fabric is mostly donated, our expenses are few (new batting, shipping). The satisfaction is priceless.
