Patty Keith with Liberty Sewing Circle shows off a quilt made for Threads of Valor.
Photo provided by Liberty Sewing Circle of Warsaw.

By Brianna White
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Liberty Sewing Circle of Warsaw makes quilts to honor veterans and remind them that they have not been forgotten.

Esther Burdette, a member of Liberty Sewing Circle, with her quilt that was made for Threads of Valor. Photo provided by Liberty Sewing Circle.

In 2015, Cathy Snell started the Liberty Sewing Circle with a few other ladies who worked at the VFW with her. While Snell did not sew, the others did. They began by making lap quilts for the veterans they knew through the VFW.

They were then asked to make a full-size quilt for a veteran, who was in a nursing home and not affiliated with the VFW, to celebrate his 90th birthday. This made them step outside of the circle of acquaintances and inspired them to start serving a wider community of veterans. They started growing as an organization and inviting new members.

Since their inception, Liberty Sewing Circle has made 471 quilts, including 200 full-size and 271 lap quilts.

“We want to honor our veterans,” said Marsha Huffman, coordinator for the Liberty Sewing Circle.

The 20th biannual Threads of Valor presentation will be Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Presentations are held in May and November to align with Memorial Day and Veterans Day. There will be a drawing for door prizes. It is an opportunity to show veterans they are appreciated for their service.

Veterans “are worthy to be honored, and that is what we strive to do,” Huffman said.

From left, Kris Fry and Judy Mallory hold a quilt Fry made to be presented at Threads of Valor. Photo provided by Liberty Sewing Circle.

Gifting a quilt might seem like a small thing that does not need a ceremony, but the quilts serve as a physical reminder that these veterans have not been forgotten. The quilts are the manifestation of hours of effort and craft.

They are always accepting nominations for and applications from veterans who would like to be recognized and gifted a quilt. Their only stipulations are that veterans need to be Kosciusko County residents and honorably discharged. Veterans do not need to have seen combat.

Huffman said regarding non-combat veterans, “We need to be protected at home too.” She continued, “If they needed to be called, they knew that they were ready to go … They are just as worthy to be honored as any other veteran.”

Forms to nominate a veteran are available at the Warsaw Senior Center, by reaching out through the organization e-mail, [email protected], or their Facebook page. If you fill out a form for a veteran, Liberty Sewing Circle asks that you include a brief biography either by the veteran or about them in the application.

If you know of any World War II or Korean War veterans in Kosciusko County that Liberty Sewing Circle has not recognized, they ask that you nominate them or get them to apply. As time goes on, there are less veterans from these generations and less time to thank them for their service.

Quilt made by Judy Mallory for Threads of Valor.
Photo provided by Liberty Sewing Circle.

Volunteers for Liberty Sewing Circle meet on Mondays and Tuesdays at the Senior Center. There is no specific meeting time, and some members choose to sew at home and either do not attend or just visit other members at the center to discuss their projects. Volunteers are in an out throughout the day. Sewing circle members help each other with their projects, sharing their knowledge and experience. People who want to participate but can’t sew are welcome to volunteer and cut and press. If non-sewing volunteers want to learn how to sew, members will teach you.

The Liberty Sewing Circle is primarily made up of retirees and operates off of donations from the public.

If you would like to support them, they are always in need of cotton fabric in patriotic colors: red, white, blue, and neutrals, black and gray. They also accept gift card and cash donations.

Huffman said they are frugal and do not buy anything unless it is on sale and nothing goes to waste. If they have scraps, they make strip quilts, and if they are gifted even a half yard of fabric, they will find a way to use it in a quilt design.

They do accept patriotic quilts made by members of the community who are not members of the group. These quilts receive a tag that indicates they were made by a friend of the Liberty Sewing Circle.

Donations can be taken to the Senior Center, just ensure to include a memo or note that it is for the Liberty Sewing Circle. Donation arrangements can also be made through their e-mail, [email protected], or their Facebook.