Threads of charity

EDGEWATER – “We’re a small group but we do mighty things,” Dawn Schultz, vice president of Krafty Needlers, said of her group.

Schultz was referring to the myriad creations sewn up by the Krafty Needlers for charity over the years. It is a catalog that includes quilts, caps, washcloths, knitted baby blankets, mittens, scarves, hats, walker bags, lap robes, pillowcases, and more.

Most of what the 11-member club makes goes to charity. Members meet weekly for work sessions, which include time for members to work on personal or group projects, as well as plenty of socialization.

Members can use the club’s two sewing machines and tools for both personal and charity projects, but must pay for their own materials for personal work.
Krafty Needlers work most often with Sherman Health Foundation, Sherman West Court, Mooseheart Child City & School, and a local animal shelter. When the club has sewn several of one item, they contact an organization and donate what they’ve made.

One of the club’s recent hits has been walker bags for those in assisted living facilities.

“The only thing they cannot do is take food from the cafeteria in their walker bags,” club President Beth Reuter joked.

Though requests are rare, the Needlers did receive one that sent their creations halfway around the world. They were asked to create helmet liners for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, a mission that presented unique challenges.

“We had to have specific yarn that was okay’d by the military, and the pattern we had to follow was okay’d by the military,” Schultz said.

Members said the flame-retardant wool was difficult to work with, but they were honored by the opportunity. The Needlers completed nearly 60 liners and sent them off through the local American Legion. Afterwards, they had excess wool and made 12 more liners for Edgewater neighbors with relatives in combat.

In order to keep up their charity work, the Krafty Needlers require funding. They are hoping to bring in money this year with proceeds from a quilt raffle.

The club invested a year-and-a-half of work into the quilt, which is the third they’ve made. Their first quilt featured a more modern pattern with primary colors, and the second was a “Jacob’s Ladder” pattern in bright pastels.

This year’s quilt is a “northern star” pattern featuring prominent green and orange tones.

“This is kind of a neutral so [anybody] could throw it on a bed and sleep on it,” Reuter said.

The northern star pattern was devised by Eleanor Burns, an author who the group agrees is somewhat of a quilting “guru.” Burns is largely credited with revolutionizing quilting in the 1970s with a new quilting technique that largely sped up the process.

“Eleanor came up with a technique based on how they make garments in the garment industry, where you cut big strips of fabric and you sew the strips together and you sub-cut them,” Beth Allendoerfer, Krafty Needlers member said.

Raffle tickets for the quilt can be purchased from any club member. They are $3 for one, $5 for two, and $10 for five. All proceeds are used by the club to purchase supplies.

The Needlers keep their ears to the ground for new ideas, often picking them up at quilting stores or through the Gazebo Quilters Guild of Huntley. They also pass along knowledge to those who have yet to try quilting.

Allendoerfer teaches quilting classes at Edgewater and said she hopes the classes serve as a way to pique interest in the craft and get new members to join.

Whether or not someone takes a class or joins the Needlers, Reuter said quilters are “ready and willing” to share information.

“Even for people that aren’t learning from us, if they just come in and say, ‘I’m having a question about what to do from here,’ we’ll give them an opinion,” Allendoerfer said.

Krafty Needlers

Quilt bee work sessions are held the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 1 – 5 p.m. Monthly meetings begin at 4 p.m. in the arts & crafts room.
Knitting bee work sessions are held every Thursday from 3 – 5 p.m. in the arts & crafts room.

Raffle tickets

Tickets can be purchased by any Krafty Needlers member. Prices are: $3 for one, $5 for two, and $10 for five.

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