Nothing patchwork about interfaith quilting project

Twenty-four years ago, a small group of Lutheran women from Longmont got together to try to help pay the bills of what was then the newly formed Outreach United Resource – or O.U.R. – Center in Longmont.

Their idea? Make 20 quilts and host a sale.

“The lady who got this going told us that the pastor at the time said, ‘Nobody will pay money to buy a quilt,’” recalls Dee Kounovsky of Longmont. “She said, ‘You want to bet?’”

Judy Luppens-Huntley of Mead uses a machine to sew strips of fabric together in a pattern for a quilt that will be available at next years' sale. Julie Fowler photo.

Karen Stalgren of Frederick says when she joined the quilters, “They said the number one rule was we don’t talk about politics and we don’t talk about each other.”

The focus for this group, who call themselves a “sisterhood,” is more on plying their craft, learning new techniques, and making high-quality quilts that appeal to a wide range of tastes. Some women come because they’re looking for a way to use their already honed skills. For others, it’s about learning a new craft.

Take Kounovsky. She joined after retiring 12 years ago.

“I quilted a little before,” she says with a chuckle. “But I didn’t do much of it right.”

Today she makes unique paper-piece quilts. In fact, she’s stitched 46 for this year’s sale alone.

All of the fabric these ladies use is donated by quilt shops and folks in the community looking to clear space. Most women work on their own pieces, but every now and then someone organizes a group project. Mainly the mission is to have fun and help those in need.

“We all have this same goal,” says Candy Beck, a 10-year member of the group from Longmont. “This is the fun way we donate our time and give back to the community.”