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quilting bee: (almost) a lost art

Story and photo by LIZ QUIRIN
Messenger editor

For more than 30 years, people from many parishes have met at St. Anthony Parish in Lively Grove to participate in a quilting bee.

This year, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 1 the quilters began to sew on a number of quilts set up at the parish.

“We wouldn’t have a quilt bingo here without their help,” Ruth Gale, president of St. Anthony Ladies Sodality, said.
St. Anthony parishioners offer the quilters coffee and doughnuts to get them started in the morning and then a home cooked meal for lunch.

And they do come from all over the diocese, mainly in the Metro East, but this year Yvonne Murray drove up from Anna to participate in the day’s activities.

“This is wonderful,” Murray said. “I get ideas for designs.”
Other quilters said they love to quilt and love to help.

One woman said this was a way to “stay out of trouble.”

A number of people came on a bus with the bus driver staying to quilt too.
She said since she drives the bus, she doesn’t have much time left for quilting.

Some of the women said they would finish their quilts while others will be finished at a later time.

Two teens helped with the lunch. They started going to the event because their grandmother was one of the quilters.
They continue going to help with the lunch because they too like to help.
About 100 people were served lunch.