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The Lunenburg-Nottoway Retired Teachers Association for the 2022-2023 fiscal year is using meeting time to highlight the many talents and hobbies among its membership. For the October meeting which was held at Victoria Public Library, Mary Jean Overman and Evelyn Staples were in the spotlight for their “quilt making” over the years. Pictured on the left, Mrs. Overman displays the Log Cabin pattern which was made with leftover scraps from some of her other quilting projects. The strips are one inch and the blocks are 6 inches. Pictured on the right, Mrs. Staples displays one of her favorite creations with over 100 colorful circular patterns on a black background. They did a show-n-tell of some of their other productions including table top quilts/runners and larger ones that had been carefully bagged for storage. Both ladies shared stories of quilt making within their families’ history. In the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s their mothers and grandmothers used whatever they could find to make quilts for their families. Mrs. Staples described making batten, using leftover cotton from the fields and collecting old flour, fertilizer and grain sacks for the lining. Old, worn-out clothes were used to create the colorful top. They concluded with updated quilting techniques. 

Now, quilting has become easier but more expensive. One can order quilting kits with pre-cut fabrics and patterns. With the help of quilting computers, the top stitching can be done for a price. Through the generations, quilting has evolved from hand stitching to long arm computers. Women no longer have to stay at home and engage in the long process, however, it can be a very therapeutic hobby