Decades of quilting meetings frame the fabric of women’s lives
Back in 1978, a group of Ottawa women met when they were all taking an afternoon course on quilting at A.Y. Jackson Secondary School.
At that time they didn’t know each other, or how to quilt.
But after the course ended, the new friends decided to continue to meet to sew and quilt together. “We liked it so much that we said, ‘Let’s take the second session,’ ” said Elizabeth Gravelle, one of those women, “and then we said, ‘Let’s keep going.’ ”
And that simple needlework running stitch begun nearly 40 years ago continues to run in and out through the cloth of their lives.
Because Gravelle was affiliated with Maki House, a popular community centre in Crystal Beach, she suggested that they meet there in future. New members came on board, and now, 39 years later, they are still driving to Maki House every second Wednesday, September to June. New members are welcome.
Maki House is named in honour of Bob Maki, a Crystal Beach resident and OPP officer who died in the line of duty in 1966.
There is a plaque on the wall placed there in 2010 in the Elizabeth Gravelle Room in appreciation of “the time she has volunteered to the successful operation of Maki House for more than 30 years. Elizabeth’s tireless efforts have enriched the spirit of Maki House and the Crystal Beach/Lakeview community, making it a welcoming place for all.”
Two photo albums attest to the quilters’ dedication to charitable causes. “Not only do they work on their own projects, but over the years they’ve made almost 2,000 teddy bears for Interval House, a women’s shelter,” said Suzanne Stewart, daughter of group member Dorothy Sim. “This is to ensure that every child who resides at Interval House has a comforting teddy to have and take with them when they leave. In December my mom dropped off 75 of them. They have also quilted endless numbers of preemie quilts for area hospitals.”
“So far this year we’ve done 82 large bears, 33 small bears and 10 quilts,” says Sim, who keeps a running tally of the numbers.
Many quilts have also been given to family members, and some to Syrian refugees. Years ago they made a maple leaf quilt for the Australian ambassador’s wife to take home. They’ve also donated a maple leaf quilt and a log cabin quilt, both hanging in Maki House. They also contribute baby quilts to the Rich Little Special Care Nursery at The Ottawa Hospital.
Some members of the group are considered “newcomers” because “they’ve only been there for 30 years!” joked Stewart. “I don’t know of many groups who have been together for so long. They’ve been together for so many life events as well — the death of spouses, and the birth of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They are a huge support to one another and give so much back to the community.”
Most of the quilting they do at Maki House is hand work rather than by sewing machine. “We don’t lug any more,” laughs Gravelle, who moved to Crystal Beach 52 years ago. They keep a large quilting frame in the closet for hand quilting a big quilt. “We’re all traditional quilters.”
“Back in the early days, we didn’t have much fabric and traded pieces and colours, patterns and tools,” says Pat Amundrud, 73, who makes all the vests for the teddy bears out of leftover pieces from hats that Gravelle makes for patients at cancer units in area hospitals.
Marion Anderson was already a member of the Ottawa Valley Quilters Guild in the 1980s when she joined the Maki House group. When they met on the last Wednesday of September, there was a candle in a cupcake, and Happy Birthday napkins for Anderson’s 99th birthday.
At 2 p.m. every session, they put down their fabric, and put out tea and snacks. “Food’s a big part of our day,” says Gravelle. “It sounds as if quilting is all we do, but we swap books, bake and do lots of other things.” The book being passed around in September was The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.
“It’s nice to have a group you can bounce ideas off,” says Gwen Whitaker, 86.
Friendship is the key to the group’s longevity, adds Anderson. “We’re all concerned about each other.”