STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 12
There are still hand quilters out there,” Oliver said.“ … Maybe 10 out of 100 still hand quilt, because it is very time consuming. But they’ re fast at it.”
on specific quilting techniques or ideas.
Some men and even children attend the meetings.“ So, it’ s not just an old woman thing,” Oliver said.“ Both( Stillwater and Ponca City) guilds are trying to get more members, to get the word out that we’ re here.”
Some of the methods of quilting have changed. Today, most quilters piece the smaller blocks of fabric together by machine. Next, they use either a long arm machine or smaller machine to make a digitized or freestyle pattern to piece together the top quilt pieces, batting( or stuffing) and back. Then they hand-stitch the“ binding,” or edging.
“ There are still hand quilters out there,” Oliver said.“ … Maybe 10 out of 100 still hand quilt, because it is very time consuming. But they’ re fast at it.”
If the Cimarron Valley guild isn’ t hosting a workshop, they’ re focused on fundraisers. Their current fundraising
project is making Oklahoma State T-shirt quilts to sell during football season. Each year, they donate up to 200“ Quilts of Kindness” to those affected by wildfires and to nonprofits like Stillwater Life, Mission of Hope, Payne County Youth Services and more. Some Cimarron Valley guild members also meet from noon to 3 p. m. at the Quilting Post to sew“ Quilts of Valor” for veterans touched by war. To date, they have awarded more than 100 quilts to veterans. To find fabric and quilting supplies, join a class or meet other quilters, stop by Sew and Sews in the
Rosewood Hills Shopping Center at 211 N. Perkins Rd. # 7 or visit the Quilting Post at 717 S. Main
SwOk
St. Both shops have long arm machines.
STORY BY: JESSICA MARSHALL Stillwater Oklahoma Magazine
PHOTOS by JESSICA MARSHALL
Meg Kletke pieces together a quilt at Sew and Sews, where she and her friends meet once a week.
Frieda Grischkowsky sews a quilt block.
Meg Kletke said quilting with her friends at Sew and Sews is her happy place.
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 12