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Making Quilt Sense

INTO AFRICA

Calling all angels

by Linda V. Taylor, Linda’s Electric Quilters LLC

Funny how things happen. Last summer Elisabeth Baratta (from South Africa) was a student of mine at Linda’s Longarm Lodge in Wyoming. While she was here, she was telling me about her efforts to teach the Zulu women how to quilt and what it has done for them. At least once a year she brings as many quilts as she can carry over to the states to sell them. These are quilts the Zulu women have made. Mostly, she sells them at Rotary Clubs because they have been a strong source of support for her project. If she sells a quilt for $200, it can feed a family in Africa for four months; so she is making quite an impact on the quality of the women’s lives; thereby impacting families.

She had a slide show (one that she shows to the Rotary Clubs) and she showed it to me.  She started crying before it was over and said, “I just miss them and love them all so much.” Well, right there and then, I just knew I wanted to meet them so I could love them too. I told her I would love to come and teach them how to use their new Gammill Quilting Machine. She was surprised and overjoyed. So in 2008 a trip is planned!

But there is much more than just the quilting aspect of this trip. The Centre has been in operation since March 2003. Nearly all of the work has been accomplished by Rotary and community volunteers. There are also other projects including an orphanage (AIDS is very prevalent), a daycare for the children of the women who quilt every day, a literacy program, and a lunch kitchen which has been operating for over five years and feeds over 50 families a day in addition to the children in the pre-school. So there are many areas in which everyone who is going can be of service.

There are about 30 women and two men in the “Sweet Water Quilt Guild” which has been established by Elisabeth and her husband, Rick. The guild invites its members to come to the centre each day where she has been teaching them to piece and quilt.

To tell you the truth, I am just a little bit afraid. I love the USA soil I stand on. I’m not a world traveler and this is a scary thing for me; but my heart is full of gratitude for my talents and I really feel like I must share. Plus, I really, really want to meet these women I have seen on the DVD. I need friends like them and I want them to know there are people far away who care about them. So, I, with many friends who have hearts just like mine, go on with courage ”Into Africa” – and we are “Calling All Angels” to help us.

I have been excited at the response of the quilters I have talked to so far about this. Many want to go with me or have pledged their support in getting supplies to these people.

Please help us if you can. Have some nice fabric you won’t be using? Have some extra quilting supplies just sitting around? Please check my Web site for information on “Into Africa – Calling All Angels” for details about where to send donations. Or, if you want to see some of these lovely people, you will be able to watch the entire DVD on my new video streaming site: www.thequiltingschool.com

Linda V. Taylor is a professional quilt artist, master teacher and author. She has produced eight instructional DVDs and authored seven longarm quilting books. She owns and operates Linda’s Electric Quilters LLC, and Linda’s Longarm Lodge. She is the host of Linda’s Longarm Quilting on your local PBS station and on www.thequiltingschool.com. For more information, call 1-800-893-2748 or visit www.lequilters.com.

Reprinted from Quilting Now, October 2007