Friends of Hannah Dustin Quilt Guild

by Lynne Ober

If you love quilting – doesn’t matter what kind – traditional, art quilts, innovative or beaded work quilts, the Hannah Dustin Quilt Guild is where you’ll find people who share your love and where you’ll learn more about quilting techniques.

Hannah Dustin Quilt Guild meets once a month on Monday in Hudson and Friends of Hannah Dustin Quilt Guild meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. in Pelham at St. Patrick Church. At both meetings members gather to work on projects, show each other items that they’ve completed, learn new techniques and find ways to gift others with quilted products.

“Quilters are very generous,” said Hannah Dustin Program Director Carol Durand. “We’ve given away more quilts over the years than I can count.” Many of those quilts have gone to David’s House at Mary Hitchcock Hospital. David’s House is where families with severely ill children stay while the children receive treatment. The Hannah Dustin quilters make hundreds of quilts each year for David’s House. “Every child gets his or her own quilt,” said Membership Chairman Betty Lou Shirley.

The Friends of Hannah Dustin also participate in making quilts for David’s House. “Hannah Dustin gave us lots of material,” said Friend of Hannah Dustin member and Hannah Dustin Publicity Chairman Carolyn Inglis. “At one of our meetings we all got together and cut out the materials for quilts and then divided the material into kits.”

Friends of Hannah Dustin members took the kits home and began turning the quilt pieces into beautiful quilts for David’s House. At the November meeting, Elyse Grubis had the back seat of her car completely stacked with quilts that would be given to David’s House. Altogether the Friends made 28 beautiful quilts to be given to David’s House. Grubis, who was on her way to Hawaii to celebrate her wedding anniversary, was going to give the quilts to JoAnne Turner. Turner and Grubis represent the Friends at Hannah Dustin Guild meetings.

Inglis talked about the generosity of Hudson’s Leo LeClure who has a long arm sewing machine. “If we take him the top, the batting and the backing for a quilt for David’s House, he will machine quilt it for us for free.”

The Friends are a small group who love to sew, laugh and eat. Camaraderie fills the air at their meetings and new members are made to feel very welcome. At each meeting they work on individual projects, share quilting techniques and cheer each other on. “Our members come from all over,” said Glennie Edwards. “Pelham, Salem, Hudson, Hollis, Sandown – all over.”

“We sew and eat,” said Grubnis with a smile.

“Sometimes we even go out to lunch after the meeting,” grinned Edwards.

If you like to quilt and laugh and want to do it with a group of friendly quilters, stop by St. Patrick’s Church and join one of the Friends of Hannah Dustin meetings. They’ll make you feel welcome and fill you with good food while sharing your love of quilting.