Education Traveling Quilt Story

Education Traveling Quilt

To celebrate the Education/Global Family Program, a Traveling Quilt was made from gifts of silk scarves made from the parents of children funded by the MCC Global Family Program near Darjeeling, India. During a Learning Tour to India, a number of locations were visited and the thankful parents adorned the visitors from North America with a number of silk scarves (10 to 15) to each individual showing their appreciation for all the supporters of the MCC Education Program. It was clear that both the children and the parents understood the sharing that was being received.

(Ayesha Kader Thank you Marlys for your marvelous work on quilts - this is surely a special one for me too. I could not imagine that the yellow scarves which is called 'kha-da' a tradition to welcome guests with blessings could be used so beautifully. I will tell the project manager of Nepali Girls Social Service, Darjeeling about this and to other MCC staff. God bless.  (February 1, 2014).  Ayesha was once a participant in MCC's Global Family Program and now the Supervisor for the MCC Global Family Program in India!)

Due to the frailness of the silk scarves, strips were made of the scarves and woven into blocks for the Traveling Quilt. The strips were stitched together allowing the color of the various gold scarves to bring a beauty to the block. After visiting all the precious children, angels needed to partner with the silk blocks.

The red fabric of the Angels in the other blocks is also from India, the plain colored fabrics are donated hand died fabrics from Cherrywood Fabrics of Brainerd, Mn, and the purple fabric is “Northern Lights” purchased at a quilt store along the “North Shore” of Lake Superior in Minnesota.

The view of the Pacific Ocean - inspiration!

Due to timing issues and the need for the quilt at the Oregon MCC Relief Sale, the quilt was designed, made and quilted at Pacific Beach, Washington.  In haste to catch a plane to Seattle, the backing for the quilt had not been purchased.  As we (my cousins and others) were at the ocean to create charity quilts, Ione offered to go through her fabrics to find a backing for the MCC Global Family quilt.  When she came across a yellow fabric with the red polka dots and the name of the fabric was Joy, Love, Peace, we knew we had the backing fabric for the quilt.  It was exactly the correct yellow and red for the front of the quilt!

Oregon Relief Sale - next to the Tractor for Auction

The first Relief Sale to utilize the Global Family Quilt was Oregon!  James Wheeler, the MCC Global Family representative had the vision and together the goal was accomplished.

While the quilt was on loan to the Twin Cities MCC Relief Sale in October of 2013, Judson Memorial Baptist Church hung the quilt bringing awareness to the Relief Sale and celebration of Relief work in Thailand.

The quilt was designed and made by Marlys Wiens of Love Joy Piece, a project of the North American MCC Relief Sale Board.

NA MCC Relief Sales looks for organizations the Traveling Quilts can be used throughout the United States and Canada to promote their stories and fundraising.