Quilt guild helps military community, builds friendships

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amanda Dick
  • Ramstein Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  The chatter of voices fills the air as sewing machines hum to the rhythm of cloth being passed under their needles.

Women measure material and cut it into various shapes to create colorful masterpieces, continuing the time-honored tradition of quilting.

This is a typical Friday for members of the Rheinland Pfalz Quilt Guild during their "stitch and gab" sessions.

This non-profit organization brings women from many cultures together to work on any projects they have at the time, whether it be quilting, needle point or embroidery.

Two main projects the guild provides quilts for are Quilts of Valor and Baby Love Quilts.

"Quilts of Valor are for injured troops who are being treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center," said Christine Eatmon, RPQG first vice president and wife of Staff Sgt. Jamey Eatmon, 835th Civil Engineer Squadron. "The donations come from all over the United States, but we still make quilts and take care of the closet up at the chaplain's office at Landstuhl."

These quilts are only given to those service members who were wounded down range in the war effort, added Sherri Manios, RPQG president and wife of Timothy Manios, 693rd Intelligence Surveillance Reconnance Group.

The Baby Love Quilts made by the guild are given to babies who are in the neonatal intensive care unit at LRMC for more than five days, Ms. Eatmon said.

"If they're sick and have to stay at LRMC or are premature or anything, then they get a Baby Love Quilt," she added.

Members of the guild appreciate having this chance to help out the community.

"Like so many things in the military community, you just want to help wherever you can, wherever there is a need," said Joan Albright, member of the guild and wife of Army Lt. Col. George Albright, LRMC. "There are so many opportunities and this happens to be one that our quilt guild can do."

The guild is not just about the projects they do, it's also about the friendships it builds.

"We're all about friendship and the exchange of ideas," Ms. Eatmon said. "It's our hobby and we all love to do it. You can make a difference with quilts ... through the Quilts of Valor and Baby Love Quilts. We want to keep carrying on the tradition of quilting."

And that is just why Ms. Albright said she joined. After her experience in a guild at Ft. Knox, Ky., she wanted to repeat that experience and friendship here and said she has "many times over."

Aside from the "stitch and gab" sessions, the guild also offers quilting classes for the beginner quilter to the most experienced.

"We have several classes throughout the year," said Ms. Eatmon. "Sometimes we have beginner classes and sometimes we have other classes like fabric dyeing or appliqué."

The classes just depend on which member is teaching the class and what the members would like to learn.

"Usually, our members teach the classes according to what they know or what they're really good at," she said. "They just volunteer and we get them set up for classes."

The guild also attends a retreat twice a year where they go to a resort, take their sewing machines and materials and just hang out and sew.

Open to anyone who is an ID card holder, the quilt guild is always looking for new members to share in this experience, especially during the military moving season.

For more information about the RPQG, visit their Web site at www.rpqg.eu or email them at info@rpqg.eu.