The whir of sewing machines was punctuated by laughter and conversation, as members of the Nimble Thimbles Quilt Club mixed work socializing and stitching.
About a dozen area Nimble Thimbles members had gathered at the Johnson County Extension Club for a work day, putting together quilts for residents of an area nursing home. The club had formed 30 years ago for numerous reasons: to socialize, to practice a hobby they loved, to preserve the tradition of quilting and sewing.
But foremost among their missions was using their talents for the good of others.
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“There’s nothing like a quilt, for whatever you need it for, nothing makes you feel better, feel loved, feel that someone remembers that they’re there. Having something handmade, it’s such a nice feeling,” said Carol Dale, a Franklin resident and member of the club.
The Nimble Thimbles Quilt Club has been stitched into the fabric of Johnson County. Their efforts support veterans, needy children, patients in need of something warm, and many, many others.
With its every-other-year quilt show approaching, members hope to share their love of fabric arts as well as their community.
“It’s becoming a dying art. The older that people get, the more that art is fading away. We need to keep it going, not only quilting, but sewing in general,” said Donna McElwain, a member of the club and past president.
For Judy Deane, the Nimble Thimbles group was a way for her learn more about her new community. She moved from Indianapolis to the Indiana Masonic Home, now Compass Park, in Franklin more than five years ago. She met one of her new neighbors, who was part of the club and invited her to a meeting.
“It let me become more part of the community,” she said. “We have a meeting once a month, but it’s these little workshops and get-togethers where you meet more women and become better friends. It’s a little more personal.”
With a membership of close to 100 people, the Nimble Thimbles group gathers on the first Friday of each month for meetings, lessons, speakers and show-and-tell. They share old patterns and materials they don’t want anymore, then take home assignments to finish on their own.
Sometimes, they go on “shop pops,” traveling as a group to local quilting supply shops. During special work days, they come together to finish community projects.
Every year, Nimble Thimbles members sew and sell items at the annual Jim Rhoades Memorial Hog Roast, with their proceeds being split between the Good Cheer Fund and the Interchurch Food Pantry.
They make bags for the First Steps reading program, so children taking part have something to carry their books in. Their quilts have been given to local hospice patients, have been provided as lap quilts for veterans on the Indy Honor Flights, given as blankets for babies in intensive care and made pillowcases for foster children to carry their belongings.
“When a child gets pulled out of their home, whether it’s for overnight or months, the (Department of Child Services) just has them throw their stuff in a garbage bag,” Dale said. “To be able to have a cool pillowcase, with funky characters or whatever to put their stuff in, it makes a big difference.”
The club was founded in Johnson County in 1989, as a part of the county’s extension homemakers program. They started with just six members; they’ve grown exponentially since then.
“We want to give back to the community with our talents, and to teach new members how to quilt and improve their quilting skills,” McElwain said. “Some of us even go to the schools a couple times a year to talk about quilting and why we quilt.”
One of their most visible activities is their quilt show, held every two years. Members put more than 200 quilts on display, host an old-fashioned quilting bee, and feature speakers, vendors and mini-demonstrations every hour.
A consignment sale is held throughout the weekend, and a silent auction helps raise additional funds to support the Nimble Thimbles’ community service efforts.
“It’s a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun to show what we have a little bit, and maybe gain some members while we help other people,” Dale said.
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Nimble Thimbles Quilt Club 2019 Quilt Show
What: A celebration of quilting and fabric arts featuring quilts on display, vendors, demonstrations and other activities.
When: 4 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 20 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 21
Where: Scott Hall, Johnson County fairgrounds, 250 Fairground St., Franklin
What will be featured:
- More than 200 quilts on display
- Old-fashioned quilting bee
- A presentation by Deb Strain, a designer for Moda Fabrics, at 7 p.m. Sept. 20
- Vendors
- Consignment sales
- Silent auction
- Mini-demonstrations every hour on the hour on Saturday
Tickets: Weekend pass, $10 in advance, $12 at the door; day pass, $5 at the door. Children 12 and under free. For advance sale tickets contact Sharon at 317-690-5020 or Cora at 317-862-5262
Information: sites.google.com/view/nimble-thimble-quilt-club
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