 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Quilters win hearts
By CAROLYN HOPKINS, Times Staff Writer PORT RICHEY -- Members of the West Pasco Quilters Guild participate in ongoing projects to help the community. About a year ago, Charlotte Emerick, a past president of the guild, started "Quilts from the Heart," with the idea of making comfort articles for nursing homes and Hospice. The group already was making baby quilts, and added to that ongoing project making lap robes and lounge robes (larger than a lap robe) and adult protection bibs. Last summer, American Legion Paradise Post 79 provided space for the group to hold classes for making the items. When Marsha White, chairwoman, delivered the comfort articles to various organizations, requests were made for more adult bibs. "There are other organizations making lap robes," White said, "but it seems that now there is a greater need for the adult bibs . . . Our "Quilts From the Heart' group turned to making bibs and bibs only." So far, the program has provided 68 lap and lounge robes and 192 adult bibs to Hospice House of New Port Richey, Hernando-Pasco Hospice in New Port Richey and Hudson; Southern Pines Nursing Homes; The Angelus, Hudson; Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home, Land O'Lakes, Bay Pines Veterans Hospital; and Cotee River Elementary School, New Port Richey, for students who use wheelchairs. Recently, White gave the quilters a whimsical bib challenge, in which each participant had to use all or part of a 9- by 11-inch fabric featuring a bug design on a purple background. The idea was to create cheerful designs on absorbent, washable material. Karen Waechter won first place. She traced a sketch of a girl holding up her arms for the centerpiece. "I thought it looked stupid just holding her arms up," Waechter said, "so I made her jump rope by putting a rope in her hands." Cynthia Stroud, who won second place, incorporated the "bug cloth" in an applique of a dragon sitting on a rainbow. The bib has a sawtooth border using the bug fabric. Charlotte Emrick, third place, used hand-dyed fabric and added appliques of the bug fabric and thread art. The prize-winning bibs will be on display at the annual quilt show Feb. 2 and 3 at Veterans Memorial Park in Hudson, along with more than 300 quilts owned or made by guild members. White said those interested in joining the quilters can call her at (727) 376-4126. The guild meets at 10 a.m. the third Thursday of each month at St. Mark's Presbyterian Church, State Road 52, Hudson. "Quilting is part of the American heritage," White said. The group also sponsors classes for children.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times Seniority pages |
