Tying lives together

Quilting helped Desiree Faller get a new lease on life.

After being away for 30 years, 20 of which she spent working as a nurse in Alaska, the Spokane native moved back home for her health. Even though she returned to her former church, Redeemer Lutheran in Spokane Valley, she didn’t know too many people. So, while looking at the church bulletin, she came across the Redeemer Lutheran Piecemakers, a group that sews and donates quilts to local and international relief groups, and decided to join.

There she found yarn, thread, batting, scraps of cloth and good friends. Now, Faller spends every Monday tying quilts and feeling good about giving back to the community.

“It gives me something to do and help people at the same time, and I’m not thinking about myself and my condition,” she said.

Faller has Cushing’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that made her diabetic and disabled one of her legs. Recently she had her knee replaced. A former jet mechanic for the Navy, Faller goes to physical therapy twice a week at Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Last Wednesday she brought with her a handmade, red-white-and-blue quilt the Piecemakers called the Patriotic Quilt. Made of red and blue blocks featuring fabric filled with American flag motifs, the quilt had blue trim and little blue yarn tied into each block. It will go in the long-term care unit inside the VA Medical Center, in the independent living unit. The unit is for recovering surgery patients to rehabilitate and practice daily living skills.

“It will be used, not just go up on a wall,” Faller said, adding that although it would have been nice to have the quilt hung up, she is glad someone will be able to use it just like the other quilts the group has donated.

This fall, the Piecemakers have donated more than 100 quilts to the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, Union Gospel Mission and Lutheran World Relief.

And there are still more to make.

The women create about 10 to 15 quilts in one session, Faller said.

Dorothy Sieverkropp, 72, who has been the Piecemakers’ unofficial organizer for about 16 years, said the women work in a sort of assembly line format, with specific tables for each step.

First, blocks of cloth are laid out in a pattern. Then Sieverkropp helps pin the blocks to the batting and bottom cover. The pinned quilt is taken to a smaller room on the side to be sewn. On one side of the room are shelves filled with cloth and completed quilts on the top shelf.

Many of the women also take materials home to sew on their own time, Sieverkropp said.

After the sewing is done, the quilt will be taken back to the main room where Faller and others Piecemakers hand tie each block with yarn. At age 50, Faller is the baby of the group.

“Most of the women in the group are over 70,” Sieverkropp said. Lillian Olsen, 95, is the oldest in the group. She sat behind Faller, tying quilts as well. Olsen has been with the Piecemakers for more than 50 years.

“We always enjoy each other, just like an old ladies aid,” she said.

Faller said their age definitely does not stop the women from being energetic.

“The bodies may be old, but they’re young at heart,” she said.

Faller is happy to have found her place among the Piecemakers. She feels like they are all a big family.

“Last year, I got really sick and was in the hospital,” she said. “They all missed me and sent gifts and said prayers for me.”

Sieverkropp said the Piecemakers were proud of Faller, who used to be in a wheelchair, but now is able to use a walker to walk around.

Faller credits the kindness and love of the women sitting around her.

“It’s my prayers,” she said. “I got all my prayers working for me.”