Quilters cut and stitch for wounded military personnel

(Sentinel photo by Beverly Van Buskirk) Pat French (left) looks on as Becky Wiersma holds a red, white and blue quilt top, one of 20 completed in a second round of sewing for the American Hero Quilts project. [Click to enlarge]

A one-time quilt project turned into a bit more for Becky Wiersma and a group of quilters from the Le Mars area.

In May, 30 quilt tops were shown as part of the Red, White and Blue Challenge's American Hero Quilts project.

Wiersma had heard of the project, which provides quilts for injured soldiers at Fort Lewis' Madigan Medical Hospital in Washington state and other military hospitals, from quilting friends on the Internet.

Last week, the local group held a second showing of quilt tops pieced together in various patterns from red, white and blue fabric.

This time, 19 quilt tops were completed, with enough sampler blocks to construct a 20th quilt top.

Quilts tops constructed by Pat French, Carol Weidauer, Della Brouillette, Shirley Hettwer, Gerry Day, Ruth Barker and Becky Wiersma were shown. Attending the showing were French, Weidauer, Brouillette, Hettwer and Wiersma, along with Jeanette Wiener, Diane Jones and Terri Schroeder, who had participated in the project the first time.

One of the good things for area quilters is that only the quilt top needs to be sent to American Hero Quilts, which has quilters who custom quilt and finish the special creations with flannel backings.

Even the postage is covered, said Wiersma, thanks to support from the local Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter. That same group also provided some red, white and blue fabric for the project.

The quilts must be a minimum of 60 by 70 inches in size. The sampler quilt uses 12 1/2 inch blocks.

"I like to make them because they're going to veterans," said Shirley Hettwer of the American Hero Quilts.

Carol Weidauer said its a good way to use her fabric stash, and others nodded in agreement.

"I always have to look at the fabric when I'm in the store," Jeanette Wiener said. Now she looks for red, white and blue, too.

It's a challenge," said Diane Jones, who completed a quilt in May and returned to see what others had done. "It's a real sense of accomplishment to get it done, too."

Wiermsa said she would put together the sampler quilt and then ship off the latest group of tops.

She also indicated if anyone wishes to make quilt tops, she will accept the donations and see they get sent.