Gathered for a good cause: (Left to Right) Judy Onslow, Liz Dow, Ally Goen, Sheila Denuptiis, and Cleary Donovan pose before the latest Golden Stitchers quilt at the Gerrish Community Library.
By P.M. Fadden
Staff Writer
Charitable giving through collaborative art stepped a pace forward on Thursday. At the Gerrish Library, sewing group Girdwood Goldstitchers unveiled its latest piece “Bountiful Baskets,” the group’s twelfth completed quilt. The Goldstitcher’s combined talents represent over 460 years of sewing experience, with 230 years in quilting.
“Since almost all of us are transplants to Alaska, the women in our group have become our extended family,” said Goldstitcher member Judy Onslow. “In 2007, we decided to become a more formal group and have a group name that incorporated Girdwood, Gold, and Quilting. We had 10 original members, and we now number 14 committed community quilts enthusiasts,” she said.
Since 2004, the ladies have produced 12 quilts. Proceeds gathered from the raffling of those intricate creations have benefitted area non-profits such as Four Valley Community School, the Girdwood K-8 School, Gerrish Library, Girdwood Trails Committee, the Girdwood Clinic, the Meadows, Little Bears, Girdwood Center for Visual Arts, Challenge Alaska and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to the tune of $24,000 dollars in donated funding.
“We meet most Wednesdays as part of the FVCS Glacier Valley Quilters class held at The Meadows Community Center at Our Lady of the Snows Chapel,” said Onslow. “When we work on projects for one another, we stitch with the same care and skill that we would use if it were our own,” she said.
Requiring time to be spent with a machine as well as hand sewing, the quilts undergo an initial design phase, followed by days of cutting, sewing, and pressing by as many as 10 people. A finished quilt typically measures 80 x 90 inches.
“We designate days and times to work and then move forward. First we choose fabrics, put up a design wall, move fabric around to audition different looks, redesign, lots of conversations, more auditions, some arguments, more auditions, and many opinions. Finally people cut, some sew, some press, and slowly the quilt top emerges,” said Onslow.
Depending upon the quilt’s complexity, completion of the top portion alone can require a time frame stretching from a few days to several months of careful collaborative planning and sewing.
“After the top is done, then it is off to the quilter for the machine quilting,” said Onslow. “Sometimes it is custom-quilted here in the valley by Denise Gallup, and other times sent off to another of our favorite quilters, Jo Ann Gruber in Eagle River. Once it is back from the machine quilter, the binding is attached and then finished by hand.”
When finally hung for display, onlookers can seek out the iconic signature marking to every Goldstitcher quilt–bands of gold seamlessly concealed amidst the overall imagery of the finished piece. The group’s calling card serves as both watermark of their craft and incentive for in-depth exploration of the artistry, which goes into every project.
Quilt donation unfolds as follows: Goldstitchers decide which nonprofit they would like to create a quilt for. In a close-knit community, Goldstitchers may already know of a special area need, if not, a reference list is at hand. That group is then contacted to gauge interest in a quilt.
“No one has ever said, “No”, said Onslow.
Goldstitchers decide on theme as well as coordination of, design, pattern, and colors. Fabrics and borders are acquired as needed and often donated by group members.
Machine worked by Jo Ann Gruber, the 2015 quilt on displayed at Gerrish Library will be raffled by Girdwood Food Bank and Girdwood Chapel. Local Food Pantry organizer, Sheila Denuptiis was on hand for the quilt’s unveiling.
“[The quilt] itself is so pretty and the colorful fruits stitched into it look absolutely delicious,” said Denuptiis. The monthly pantry is proud of the Girdwood Goldstitchers efforts.
“I’m excited just thinking about it,” said Denuptiis.
Every group receiving a quilt accepts responsibility for the organization of the corresponding raffle. Current raffle details are awaiting finalization, but Goldstitchers suggests that groups sell at least 500 tickets, pricing each ticket at $5 per or offering 5 tickets at a $20.00 rate. The concept envisions the raising of at least $2,000.00 for the recipient group. Upon raffle completion, the Goldstitchers request $300.00 be returned to the group in recompense of backing, batting, and machine quilting costs.
Girdwood Goldstitchers include: Kate Chandler, Cleary Donovan, Liz Dow, Ally Goens, Stephanie Goens, Rorie Hammel, Lori Landenburger, Mary Lynn Nation, Judy Onslow, Susan Opalka, Rebecca Reichlin, Beth Sirles, Kathy Trautner, and Donna Welch.
“Friendship, teamwork, laughter, a sense of accomplishment, and a commitment to community are all reasons that our group continues to thrive,” said Onslow. “[Goldstitchers] have created a dozen community quilts for non-profit organizations to raffle in the Four Valleys Area and are starting back through our list of local nonprofits as well as looking for new possibilities.”
“We welcome all who are interested in joining us as knitters, spinners or quilters,” she said.
Newswriter/Novelist, P.M. Fadden is an avid traveler and skier who has made a livelihood of wordcraft. He lives in Girdwood with his wife and daughter.
(Front to Back) Susan Opalka, Liz Dow, and Kathy Trautner hand sew touches upon a Goldstitcher’s quilt.