Tucked inside First Presbyterian Church’s fellowship hall every second Saturday morning of the month, a group of ladies share the intricacies of quilt-making and bubble with positive attitudes and helping hands. 

The Piecemakers Quilt Guild of Oxford had their first meeting of the year on Saturday where a show-and-tell opportunity and a drunkard’s path program took place, allowing The Oxford Eagle a glance at what the guild does and how they do it.

The ladies bounced off each other with creative ideas and helpful tips as the group set off to try the drunkard’s path pattern that program leader Deborah Robinson kindly taught. Meetings like this usually result in everyone learning the pattern and placing their block on the wall when it’s finished. 

“This came about when my husband said he wanted a quilt for our king’s size bed,” Robinson said as she showed the group how to use an AccuQuilt machine. AccuQuilt is a machine that helps quilters create a curved piece of fabric, the exact curve of a drunkard’s path pattern.

As other members of the group worked on the drunkard’s path pattern, over in the corner was a table of ladies who have been members of the guild since the early 90s. Member Charlotte Propes sat alongside “Legacy Quilter” Marjorie Jones and shared appreciation for the guild over the last 23 years or so. 

“I’ve enjoyed being a member over the years because there’s so many things that I’ve learned,” Propes said as she sewed corners of a scrap quilt. “And the camaraderie between the members is all very friendly. We welcome anybody who wants to quilt, whether they know how to do it or not – we’re here.”

The Piecemakers formed in 1992 with founder Ann O’Dell serving as the president. Since its beginning, the piecemakers have had 12 quilt shows, a 30th Anniversary showing, and is a member of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. 

Through the years the quilts made with these careful hands have touched children in Jackson’s Children’s Hospital, St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Hurricane Katrina victims, Japan tsunami victims, Habitat for Humanity, and even in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Women’s Hospital in Tupelo. 

In the past the group has presented programs on burrito pillow cases, paper piecing, t-shirt quilt demonstrations, free beginner kits and workshops, lectures on care of quilts, trash-to-treasure sales, and many more helpful workshops. 

Current President Marjorie Buckley is excited to lead the group this year, as there are several new members, and an “unexpected turnout for the first meeting of the year.”

“I’ve been in this group for about four years now, it’s a great group of women and I’ve learned a lot,” Buckley said. “Most of my quilting is modern quilting, I like to make modern wall hangings but, this past year I’ve been practicing more with traditional quilt squares. You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to sew a straight line.”

Buckley explained the process of making a quit as something similar to a sandwich, with the top of the piece, batting which is the middle, and then the backing. At the beginning of the meeting, the ladies showed the group their personal quilts, with quilts in curved patterns, explosive colors, eccentric designs and lines, smaller quilts with details, and large quilts made with  more time. The talent of the women is evident for current president, Buckley. 

“I really admire the craftsmanship of the women that are involved in this guild,” Buckley said. 

The guild works together throughout the year to provide families, children, and people in need of something warm. They go by the motto, “someone out there will always appreciate the quilt, no matter the color or designs.” 

“We feel like people just want to be warm in the winter, children especially,” Propes said. “Older people like me also love to have quilts because it’s cold everywhere.”

The guild accepts scrap donations at the church, and encourages anyone interested in quilting to call Ann O’Dell at 662-234-2907 or visit the Facebook at https://tinyurl.com/piecemakers.