 |
| Mary Treloar, LaFonda McIntyre, Dorothy Bowers, Karol Kleppe, Florence Wireman, Cindy Jarchow, Bev Weidemann and Cheryl Wenthe. |
HAWKEYE – She was their inspiration 15 years ago. Since her death April 19, the women in whom she sparked creativity for quilting, now want to give something back to the community in her memory.
The late Ruth Pieper was a teacher at Randalia, Fayette and Sumner. At the former Hawkeye High School, she taught home economics, until the school closed in 1958. Later in life, she enjoyed quilting as a hobby. But when her quilt tops were complete, she shipped them to Missouri where they were machine quilted and then mailed back to this little town of 500 people.
"We thought there should be a better way than having to mail those quilts out of state," remembers Karol Kleppe, also of Hawkeye. "On her advice, I started machine quilting even before I knew how to quilt!"
It was 15 years ago on Pieper's suggestion that Kleppe made the investment in a long-arm quilting machine. Weekly, gathered to learn quilting basics.
"Ruth, really was our inspiration," says Kleppe.
Even though she was the oldest gal in the group, it was Ruth who showed the others how to use quilting tools such as a rotary cutter and special quilting rulers. Together, the women chose a queen-size quilt in which each week they completed at least one block. Each participant at the time, signed the labels that adorned the back side of each woman's finished quilt.
Soon, other women joined the group and Kleppe moved the long-arm quilting machine uptown to a store front on Hawkeye's Main Street. Over the years the faces changed as the group continued to meet weekly.
In April, Ruth Pieper passed away at the age of 90. As her daughter, Sandy Jencks, Hawkeye, sorted through her mother's effects, she came across boxes of quilting materials.
"When we got (the fabrics) we thought we had the patterns and fabric for the blocks for a Civil War style quilt, but we later realized none of us had enough material," recalls Cheryl Wenthe. In a second box, the women discovered Ruth had already completed her blocks for the Civil War quilt, and the other box contained the extra fabric.
The gals set to making the blocks with Ruth's extra fabrics so when finished, there would be Ruth's quilt, and a quilt made by the group. At present, they've completed the quilt of the blocks they sewed together, and just need to sash and sew together Ruth's blocks, to finish her quilt.
"We want to keep Ruth's spirit going," says Kleppe.
"She wasn't afraid to do things differently," she adds. "She was really forward in her quilting."
Wenthe, who joined the quilt club about three years ago, after she retired from work, says the weekly gathering "is a great escape with positive people."
At last week's meeting, Bev Weidemann sought her friends' opinions on how to quilt a project she's donating for the upcoming George Streeter benefit. Florence Wireman showed the girls the jewel-toned quilt she'd crafted to give to a family member.
Around the table as the projects were reviewed, across the street, children enjoyed recess on the playground at Hawkeye Elementary.
Noticeably absent from this week's meeting, was Cindy Jarchow's six-year-old granddaughter, Victoria , who typically attends the Hawkeye Quilters' weekly meetings in the summer.
Said Cindy Jarchow, "She told me the other day, she wished school started later on Thursdays so she could still come to quilt club."
The women laughed, but not too much, knowing their little friend could be one in a next generation of quilters.
Already, the women are mentoring little Victoria, just like when Ruth Pieper had taken an interest in teaching them to quilt, 15 years ago.
