Water Traveling Quilt for MCC Relief

The  Water Quilt is made with Landscape Quilt original design - with the Sun, sky, lake/river, trees and people celebrating the water in a mosaic style.

Traveling Quilts along with Blessings Bids have generated some great funds for MCC,  We look forward to hearing what the theme of Water can do for raising funds! Traveling Quilts assist in Blessing Bids and we ask that you provide the totals to us as we tally the funds for MCC.

Water Quilt:  The landscape quilt includes the sunrise/sunset along with the skyline with a river or lake below and African women on the shoreline.  The quilt is machine quilted with trees and roots/limbs reminding us of being in Africa.  The water is quilted with ripples and waves.  The sun is quilted with circles and brings light to the quilt.

Size:  78 by 80 Inches

Available:  To Relief Sales in the United States

Made by:  Marlys Wiens

Machine Quilted by:  Jane Harder Goering and the Bethel Church Worship and Sew of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, donating the funds for the quilt.

As I made this quilt, I kept thinking of the children in this world who are out fetching water for their family or themselves instead of getting an education.  The theme of water can be directed in a number of directions and MCC has great pictures and information on their website on "Water".

(The Actual Quilt is a piece of art - the picture doesn't do it justice).

The story of the designing of the quilt:

  

In the cold of a Minnesota winter, blue, green and some yellow/tan  batik fabrics had been purchased.  The pattern was a picture of a quilt I had seen at a Quilt Show in Brainered, MN, a year earlier.  The organizer of the Quilt Show had helped me locate the owner/designer and maker of the pictured quilt.  There was no pattern which was freeing and at the same time, limiting.  The quilt did not have a copywright and the designer was so pleased to have the quilt made for Mennonite Central Committee as a Fund Raiser.  

Jana's back yard was full of snow and the cardinals and squirrels would visit us through the window as I would cut the fabric in strips and Jana would sew what I ever gave her.  After sewing a number of blocks, Jana started to understand the process we were using.  

As we quilted we talked about issues she was living with.  The prior Christmas season, Jana had been diagnosed with cancer that was affecting her pancreas and part of her pancreas was removed and followed by radiation and chemotherapy.   During that process, Jana's kidneys had been affected and she needed to be on dialysis three times a week.  The physicians were surprised she had survived the procedures.  Looking forward, the physicians also knew that she also has lung cancer and we needed to enjoy each day we had.  With the appreciation of our own lives, we focused on making the water quilt for MCC and the children and people who would be the benefactors. 

Jana also assisted her adult daughter on Sunday mornings at a church in Oakdale, Minnesota, and we would talk about the sermons from her minister, Rev. Greg Boyd.  The sermons were in alignment with the work we were doing for MCC.  I kept hearing about Greg Boyd, the minister, through my other friends as he was also a speaker at Hesston College in Hesston, Kansas, and other Mennonite places.  The importance of peace and justice was growing in both of our lives.

As we continued to sew, make 

blocks, and lay the blocks out on the living room floor, the atmosphere was very unique.  I could hear Jana sewing in the room with the wonderful view of the outdoors.  Here I was in the living room and someone was with me or watching me.  I moved around and did not notice anyone.  After several minutes, I had to investigate and I needed to know what was surrounding me.  I looked around and there to my left and then also on the right, was two of P Buckley Moss prints.  One of the framed pictures was “Community Spirit”.  I stopped Jana’s sewing of the "Water Blocks" and she was confused by my questions/comments and how I knew about P Buckley Moss and that the name of the print was “Community Spirit”.  I explained that the print was a donation and fund raiser from P Buckley Moss for MCC.  Al, her husband, had purchased the prints the week before at an estate sale in a suburb of Minneapolis and they wanted the framed pictures in their living room.  Al and Jana had no idea of the story behind the pictures.  Jana looked at me and said, “you mean the P Buckley Moss picture is a fund raiser for the same organization we are making this quilt”? 

With that we worked on in peace and contentment.  So many unspoken questions and issues were answered.

The next step was finding a Machine Quilter with the understanding of "Water" with the many definitions of MCC.  

With the sponsorship of the Sewing Circle from Bethel Mennonite Church in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, Jane Goering shared her artistic ability in the machine quilting of the quilt.

(Note from 2014:  Woodland Hills Church, Pastor Greg Boyd, has invited the 2014 Twin Cities MCC Relief Festival to their facility on October 24, 2014).

Food (Basket) Traveling Quilt

Mennonite Relief Sale
Food (Basket) Traveling Quilt

This traveling quilt is being used as a symbol of God’s love and caring for the hungry people of the world. It will be displayed at relief sales throughout the United States.

The Pattern Design is by Bev Patkau, Calgary, Alberta.  The fabrics for the baskets are donated by Lois and Art Kennell of Rochester, MN, and are a product from waxed dyed Java print in brilliant colors and patterns unique to the Congo, Africa.  Dr. Kennell worked for the Zairois (Congolese) and they have the stories and heart felt in the fabric of this quilt.  The various blue shades are fabrics donated by Cherrywood Fabric located in Minnesota.

The picture of the quilt (to follow) was taken at the MCC Relief Sale in Colorado.  "Blessings Bids" were requested and the auctioneers comments before the bidding was, "this is the easiest bid request I've ever done".  After the bidding, he was speechless as he had just received over $5,000!  .

You can assist in alleviating hunger during the auction when donations will be accepted via your bidders card or make a donation at the cashier booth.

The quilt, made by Marlys Wiens.

YOU CAN HELP
Pray for the people who are hungry and for the MCC workers who, with your help, are providing food and comfort to those most in need.

Live simply so that your lifestyle in this interconnected world is not a burden on the poor and provides an inspiration for others to do the same.

Speak out on behalf of the poor and hungry so that they are not forgotten by world governments and those in a position to help.

I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.
Matthew 25:35

Quilt Copyright - Light in the Valley (Especially)

 

Quilters, drop your needles.  Or at least pause and double-check what pattern you are quilting.

From now on, Light in the Valley, a quilt pattern that creates an optical illusion that lends it a three-dimensional effect, can no longer be quilted.


That particular pattern has been copyrighted, and Almost Amish, the company that bought the copyright, has sent letters from its attorney to representatives of Lancaster County quilt shops and nearly every volunteer fire company here that hosts a mud sale, telling them to cease and desist selling that quilt.  Not exactly what quilters and quilt sellers like to hear. 

"I was shocked. I had no idea it was copyrighted," said Emma Witmer, of Witmer Quilts in Leola. "I don't think it's something a Christian would do."  Witmer said she sells about 500 quilts a year and has her own original designs. She said she would never dream of restricting others from copying them.  If they want to make it, let them make it," Witmer said. "They will have to work a while to make it like mine. I got an "A" in art but not in arithmetic and spelling."

A Strasburg company called Almost Amish, owned by Ken and Sally Treadwell, sells products, 98 percent of which are advertised as created by Amish, on the Internet.  "A number of  years ago, an Amish woman created a pattern for the quilt," Ken Treadwell said. "A friend of hers got her to register it, but being Amish, she truly didn't enforce the copyright."  But Almost Amish bought the copyright, and the owners intend to vigorously enforce the design rights.  "We have stopped numerous people from selling and making this quilt," Treadwell said. "We have an attorney that has informed the Mennonite Central Committee that they can't sell it anymore."

Local fire company officials were the latest to get the notice.
"I think it's a bunch of bunk," said West Earl Fire Company mud sale chairman Wesley Martin. "For us, as a fire company depending on donations and things from our personnel who want to help, it's not the most pleasant way to help."  Martin estimates the March 22 mud sale will auction off 75 quilts.  "This copyright thing just seems like they're infringing on us a little bit," he said. "Even though it's not going to affect us that much."  There are at least 18 mud sales in the county each year, from which many local fire companies make money to cover annual expenses. Will Hutchinson, assistant chief of the Strasburg Fire Company, said the organization received the same letter telling supporters not to sell the Light in the Valley quilt or face the threat of legal action.
"We just didn't know," said Hutchinson of the copyright. "The Almost Amish company, in a way, is protecting people's creative rights."  Hutchinson, whose fire company holds the year's first mud sale Feb. 22, said sale organizers met with representatives from the company to make sure they didn't violate the copyright.
A copyright for the quilt design was registered with the U.S. Copyright office by a Mary C. Beiler on Feb. 10, 1999.  Almost Amish bought the copyright from Beiler several years ago, they said.  "Only a couple people are upset that they have not been able to sell this pattern," Treadwell said. "People seem to understand the point that this is a truly unique design that this woman came up with."  Treadwell said he "seriously doubts" if copyrighting quilt patterns is going to be a problem.  "Unless they come up with a really unique pattern that is not based on any other pattern," he said.

A Light in the Valley quilt is hanging in the King's Cottage bed and breakfast in Lancaster.  Ann Willets, one of the owners, called it "amazing and shocking" that the wall hanging the B&B purchased last year, which it planned to sell, can't be sold because of the copyright.  "I can see from a proprietary standpoint, that if you created this design, then you wouldn't want other people making money off it," Willets said.  "But I'm really surprised, and I may not be able to sell it now. This must be something new in the 21st century, "  

Sylvia Petersheim, of Petersheim Quilts, Fabrics and Crafts in Bird-in-Hand, has heard people talking about the Light in the Valley controversy.  "It's just selfish — plain downright selfish," said Petersheim of the copyright.  "I've been here for 30 years. I have had people copy off of my quilts right and left, and I never put a complaint in about that. That's very, very selfish, especially if the quilts are going to mud sales and fundraisers."  Petersheim said the handmade nature of the product should prevent it from being copyrighted.  "We don't have the quilt, but if I found someone to piece it for me, I would make it," she said. "But I don't have to. I can make something else just as beautiful."


"Art is art," Witmer said. "Every piece is different, so how can you copyright that?"  Witmer's original designs have names like Emma's Springtime in Pennsylvania and Emma's April Reeds.
"There's enough room for all of us to do our thing," Witmer said.
Here is an article that was in the Lancaster New Era/Intellencer Journal newspaper (Lancaster County, PA) this week.  

AIDS MCC Traveling Quilt

Loving God,  on this day of waiting, in this season of preparation, we hold close in our hearts the millions who have died because of HIV/AIDS – loved ones near to us and nameless ones throughout the world.  We hold their experiences, those who died with loved ones holding their hands and others who died alone, shunned, and kicked out.  We can neither bring them back nor take away their lonely deaths but we can speak their names and promise to push for greater care, medical breakthroughs and lobby for more science funding; we can hold the hands of mourning family members and love them so.  In the name of the Coming One we pray.  Amen. 

Prayer:  G Travis Norvell, Minneapolis, MN

Quilt Design and made by Marlys Wiens, Minneapolis, MN
Quilted by:  Mennonite Central Committee Quilt Room, Ephrata, PA

"Shoo Fly Blocks Among Friends"

SHOO FLY BLOCKS AMONG FRIENDS
86” X 97”Cherrywood Hand Died Fabric
Machine Quilted by Ione Ewert Whitney
WEST SOUND QUILTERS GUILD (Raffle Quilt)
                2013

This quilt was constructed by West Sound Quilt Members, Adele Ewert, Linda Martin, Karen Whitney and Ione Ewert Whitney.  After several attempts to work on the quilt during the day that failed, we finally decided on Friday evenings at Adele’s home.  The evening started with dinner and visiting and then we would get to work.

Shoo Fly on Point

But the story of this quilt starts years ago:

Marlys from Minnesota flew out to go to the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.  While there we saw artist, Dianne Phalen.  She had been a vendor at West Sound Quilt Show several times.  Marlys purchased a package of note cards that had quilts on the cover.  Several months later she had been given some tie died fabrics to make a mission auction quilt.  She struggled to find a pattern and one day she noticed the package of note cards laying on the pile of fabric and the quilt that caught her eye was the Shoo Fly block.  But on the note card the color placement was reversed from the traditional pattern.  She made the quilt and brought it to Washington State in 1998.  Variegated thread was just becoming available for longarm quilting machines and this is what she wanted in the black solid blocks.  After quilting half a block I loved the look and decided that I should make a quilt like this as well.  Cindy loved the pattern as well and made a quilt for a mission auction in Fresno, that quilt was the top bid quilt that year.  The quilt was also made one year for the Gig Harbor Quilt Festival for Cancer.  This quilt had pinks for the background and black for the shoo fly.  The straight setting version of this quilt has become a go to charity fund raising quilt for Ione.   We decided to set the Shoo Fly Blocks on point for this quilt.

When the question was asked who would do the 2013 Raffle Quilt I thought of the Shoo Fly Quilt.  I raised my hand.  In the mid 1990’s I had taught classes several years at the quilt shop in Staples, MN.  My cousin, Lorna and her friend, Linda A. owned the shop.

When they sold the shop Linda became part owner of Cherrywood Hand Died Fabrics.  Now on my trips back to Minnesota I would stop at Cherrywood to see their new colors and then would drive down to southern Minnesota to visit with my 2 aunts, Lena and Anna.  They are fabulous quilters, everything was hand quilted beautifully, they weren’t so sure about machine quilting when I got my machine but we quickly showed them  I was using my machine as an electric needle and we made them each a quilt they were suppose to cuddle under and wash when needed.  Several times while we were working on this quilt phone calls happened between these aunts and Adele and I.  On February 6, 2013 this quilt was revealed at West Sound Quilt Guild.  I took pictures of the quilt to send to these special 2 aunts.  On February 14, 2013, 4 months before Aunt Lena was to turn 90 she passed away at home while listening to classical music which she did every night with her sister Anna who just turned 99 in January.

I sent an email to Linda A. to ask permission to use the Cherrywood Fabric for this raffle quilt and was given permission.  Since that time Linda has retired and gets to spend more time with her grandchildren.

Karen did the reverse appliqué in the corners of the border.

This pattern came to me from Aunt Anna and Aunt Lena.  They had been given a suitcase of needlework things when their cousin, Marie, passed away.  In our family stories there is a note that Marie was known for her needlework before marrying the widower.  One year while visiting in Minnesota I found the grave markers and learned that Marie was in her late 30’s when she married the widower who had  6 small children.  He died a year later, hence no more needlework for her.  I am honored to have 2 paper patterns she used for whole cloth quilting and the designs on this raffle quilt are from one of her patterns.   These patterns are from the 1930’s.  The reverse appliqué was reduced in size for the alternating blocks quilted with Signature Variegated thread and enlarged for the quilting in the outside border with Superior So Fine thread.

Linda M. embroidered the label for this quilt.

So many lives intertwined in the making of this quilt and new friendships and old friendships grew.  We encourage you all to write the stories of your quilts.  Quilts are more than just fabric stitched together.

To the winner of this quilt.   We hope you enjoy this quilt for years to come.

Ione Ewert Whitney
Port Orchard, WA

 PS:  The Original Quilt was sold at the Twin Cities Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale for $800 and Cindy's quilt was donated and sold at the Fresno MCC Relief Sale for over $2,000.  There are additional quilts and connections that have been made across the US from these friendships/quilt.     (by: Marlys)

Celebrating the closing of a "Home" church: Bergthal - Wynona, Kansas

My home church is closing this summer, and I found this recent picture on their facebook page.  Wynona Unruh (in the picture)  made all the quilts, or quilt tops.

Thaine

I celebrate with Thaine the memories of the work of the "Home" church.  There are many issues connected to saying "Good by" to a person's "Home" church.  My "Home" church in Delft, Minnesota, happened several years ago and that was followed by the closing of the "New Hope" church in New Hope, Minnesota, the church I was a member of when my "Home" church closed.  

Marlys Wiens

Focus for 2012: Water

As we Celebrate and raise funds for what MCC does globally with "water", 

let us ponder the following reading:

Now go from this place as people bathed in the muddy water of God's

transforming grace.

And as you go

may God give you the grace never to sell yourself short;

grace to risk something big for something good;

grace to remember that the world is too dangerous

for anything but truth and too small for anything but love.

So, may God take your minds and think through them;

may God take your lips and speak through them;

may God take your hands and work through them; 

may God take your hearts and set them on fire.

Amen

-William Sloane Coffin, adapted by Stephen Shoemaker & Kevin Brown