The recently renovated sanctuary at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hamburg was decorated in the many colors of more than 100 quilts made by the Tuesday Afternoon Project Workers of St. John’s during their 2014-2015 quilting season.
The Project Workers name is used in Lutheran Churches to describe the groups who gather to make quilts for Lutheran World Relief and other organizations in need, and the St. John’s quilters have been active for more than 30 years.
Quilts from St. John’s are packaged and then delivered by Charles Figard of Hamburg to New Windsor, Maryland, eventually to be shipped by Lutheran World Relief to impoverished countries. Crib blanket-sized quilts are donated locally for orphans served by Diakon Lutheran Service Ministries.
Member MaryAnn Epting, of Hamburg, said her hope is that the quilt deliveries make recipients “feel better.”
There are about 14 members of the St. John’s Project Workers, and working every Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., the small group designed and made the large number of quilts that were on exhibit in the church.
Epting, a Strausstown native, proudly confirmed that between Labor Day and Memorial Day this season, the quilting sessions were only canceled twice due to mechanical issues and construction in the church.
Epting described the quilting procedure by discussing the stages of designing the quilts, cutting the fabric, pinning and machine stitching the layers, and the knotting that identifies the specific style of quilting. Depending on the sizes of the fabric backing available, which can be bed sheets or other large pieces of material, the Project Workers create crib-sized quilts ranging up to double-bed quilts.
Despite some funding that Thrivent allotted to keep the Project Workers serving people both locally and across the globe, the quilters still depend on donations to keep working. Not only are contributions of fabric, batting, and clean blankets or mattress pads vital to the Project, but replacements for the aging sewing machines will soon be necessary. Ready-made comforters in good condition can also be donated.
Quilts that travel across the world are used not only as bed covers, but room dividers in group living arrangements and slings to carry babies, according to Epting.
“You just have a good feeling…” was how Epting described her 10 years in the Project Workers at St. John’s.
To donate materials or sewing machines for the quilts of the Tuesday Afternoon Project Workers, or to join the group, contact the church office at 610-562-3808