Pauline Drouillard fed the material through the sewing machine to add a border to the fourth side of the piece she was working on.
Around her, other quilters put their hearts and support behind every piece of fabric they were measuring, cutting, marking and assembling for the ‘Miracle Quilts.?
Since March, the group has been meeting once a month at Independence Village creating quilts to present to the wounded troops at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Carole Carroll was already helping Louise Downs and the Desert Angels by packing Miracle Boxes when she decided to make quilts for the troops.
Carroll had quilted for 20 years and had the extra time after retiring from teaching.
‘Louise kept telling me about the soldiers,? she added. ‘I have the time and the great help from the ladies.?
Mary Cesarz has been helping Carroll and has made the quilts for the troops in the past.
When the group first began, they only had three women to help, now they are up to 20 quilters and sewers with the number growing every month.
Carroll has received an outpouring of support from Oxford residents and surrounding communities.
‘A woman saw my posters while driving by and donated money,? Carroll said. ‘She mentioned her father fixes sewing machines.?
Mabelena’s in Ortonville has donated bolts of fabric and a Rochester resident donated a brand new sewing machine. Patrons have also donated finished quilts.
‘I am absolutely thrilled with the support,? Carroll added. ‘I didn’t know what to expect.?
She has also been joined by lots of helpers.
‘Independence Village has just been wonderful to us,? said Carroll. ‘It’s nice because we have a lot of the seniors come down and ask ‘what are you doing.??
Drouillard, an Independence Village resident, saw a flyer and excitedly joined the first month. Her son has been in the service for over 30 years.
‘This is my way of saying thank you to all of the soldiers and the Navy men,? she said. ‘I sewed for myself, but nothing like this. You know you are doing something worthwhile.?
In addition, Drouillard has learned new patterns and has met more quilting enthusiasts.
‘It’s a very good cause and very fulfilling,? she said.
Leslie Kirkpatrick, of Metamora, is a fairly new quilter and saw a sign while she was in a quilt shop.
‘It was a way to do something worthwhile and meet other quilters,? she said.
Carroll’s last count of quilts was 30 and the group has a few more months to make more until Carroll drives them to Walter Reed Hospital in November.
‘When soldiers are hurt (on) the battlefield they are patched up enough in Germany to come back to the United States,? said Carroll. ‘These are the critically injured guys.?
Miracle Quilts is named after Army Pfc. Joe Miracle, a 22-year-old Ortonville man who died in Afghanistan on July 5, 2007, after his first full month of duty.
The Miracle Quilters join on the second Saturday of every month from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Independence Village, 701 Market St., Oxford.
They are looking for quilters and sewers to help with the process. They can either join them once a month, sew at home, or do both.
Carroll added if volunteers can’t sew, there is something for everyone to do and they can come and go throughout the day.
They are also open to donations of fabrics, warm and natural batting, cotton threads in light grey, medium grey, white cream, or blue, and a quilting machine.
For more information, call Carroll at (248)-628-0979 or (248)-321-8669. had three women to help, now they are up to 20 quilters and sewers with the number growing every month.
Carroll has received outpouring support from Oxford residents and surrounding communities.
‘A woman saw my posters while driving by and donated money,? Carroll said. ‘She mentioned her father fixes sewing machines.?
Mabelena’s in Ortonville has donated bolts of fabric and a Rochester resident donated a brand new sewing machine. Patrons have also donated finished quilts.
‘I am absolutely thrilled with the support,? Carroll added. ‘I didn’t know what to expect.?
She has also been joined by lots of helpers.
‘Independence Village has just been wonderful to us,? said Carroll. ‘It’s nice because we have a lot of the seniors come down and ask ‘what are you doing.??
Drouillard, an Independence Village resident, saw a flyer and excitedly joined the first month. Her son has been in the service for over 30 years.
‘This is my way of saying thank you to all of the soldiers and the Navy men,? she said. ‘I sewed for myself, but nothing like this. You know you are doing something worthwhile.?
In addition, Drouillard has learned new patterns and has met more quilting enthusiasts.
‘It’s a very good cause and very fulfilling,? she said.
Leslie Kirkpatrick, Metamora, is a fairly new quilter and saw a sign while she was in a quilt shop.
‘It was a way to do something worthwhile and meet other quilters,? she said.
Carroll’s last count of quilts was 30 and the group has a few more months to make more until Carroll drives them to Walter Reed Hospital in November.
‘When soldiers are hurt in the battlefield they are batched up enough in Germany to come back to the United States,? said Carroll. ‘These are the critically injured guys.?
Miracle Quilts is named after Army Pfc. Joe Miracle, a 22-year-old Ortonville man who died in Afghanistan on July 5, 2007, after his first full month of duty.
The Miracle Quilters join on the second Saturday of every month from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Independence Village, 701 Market St., Oxford.
They are looking for quilters and sewers to help with the process. They can either join them once a month, sew at home, or do both.
Carroll added if volunteers can’t sew, there is something for everyone to do and they can come and go throughout the day.
They are also open to donations of fabrics, warm or natural batting, cotton threads in light grey, medium grey, white cream, or blue, and a quilting machine.
For more information, call Carroll at (248)-628-0979 or (248)-321-8669.