WAIMEA — The holidays may still seem in the distant future but Becky Parkinson, president of the Mauna Kea Quilters in Waimea, has already made 94 quilted stockings to donate to foster children this year, along with dozens of quilts and pillowcases made by her fellow quilters.
“I’ve done around 50-100 every year for probably seven or eight years now,” she said.
Parkinson is among 15 or so Mauna Kea Quilters who enjoy meeting monthly at Thelma Parker Memorial Library to work on projects and share their latest creations. Other members include Dorothy Badua, Grace Salera, Sharron Pabila, Trini Grundseth and Jennifer Souza, among others.
Hui Ho’omalu, a statewide initiative that handles foster care for keiki, helps distribute their handmade gifts to the children.
“We make as much as we can,” said Badua, who coordinates delivery to the organization. “In 2015 we made 45 quilts, 77 stockings and 117 pillowcases as a collection of two clubs, us and Laulima in Honokaa. We have it all done by Thanksgiving. For the foster children, it’s something they can take with them when they move on.”
This rings true to Badua, who was a foster child herself.
“That’s why I really wanted to hone in on foster children,” Badua said. “I worked for Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center so that became a connection to everything.”
Pabila says she’s always made some kind of charity quilt and now does a bit more.
“I work on quilts whenever the mood strikes,” she said. “It’s something I’m always thinking about in my mind.”
With many items to make, the group works well in advance.
“If we didn’t do that, we’d be so overwhelmed with the holidays. It’s something we’re constantly working on and then we start gathering it all up to figure out where it’s all going,” Parkinson said.
Most people don’t realize how much time and effort goes into making a quilt.
“Even a baby quilt size, 40×40 inches, has about $40-$50 worth of fabric and supplies but you also have 40-60 hours’ worth of somebody’s time put into that quilt,” she said. “Someone isn’t giving a cheap gift when they give you a quilt. It’s not scraps; it’s their time and effort that has much more value.”
Stockings are made from leftover scraps of fabric, thread and batting from other quilts or sewers Parkinson knows. But quilts have a whole other side.
“When we make a quilt, we have to buy fabric for the backing, so that’s how people can contribute money or whatever they want,” Badua said.
Their efforts aren’t limited to just the holidays. The group also supports a variety of events throughout the year.
“We donate many quilts to help raise money for worthwhile organizations in our area, such as Mala’ai: The Culinary Garden of Waimea Middle School and Relay for Life,” Parkinson said. “We have also provided quilts to the police and fire departments, and donated them to North Hawaii Community Hospital fundraisers.”
Giving benefits not only the recipients but the sewers as well.
“Quilting is therapy,” said Badua, who found it soothing while going through chemotherapy recently. “My husband would say, ‘Why don’t you go sit down and sew.’ Then he knew I wasn’t thinking about being sore.”
After back surgery, Pabila also found sewing therapeutic.
“I don’t think I would have recovered as well without it,” she said.
Parkinson believes quilting is fun and can help lower blood pressure.
“I enjoy doing it while watching holiday movies on the Hallmark channel for a whole week in July, working ahead for the holidays.”
The group collects fabric from a variety of sources throughout the year.
“We get it from individuals, like people who are moving away or are tired of it and pass it on or other sewing groups,” Badua said.
They’re always looking for additional sources.
“We only use cotton fabric and batting,” Parkinson said. “People want to give us fabric sample books from drapery and furniture all the time, but we can’t use them. When making quilts, we want to use really good quality cotton fabrics because otherwise the quilts will not last.”
As a result of much time and effort, Mauna Kea Quilters members find their work rewarding.
“Quilting gives me something that I enjoy doing, something that’s useful and a place where it can be appreciated,” Pabila said.
Info or to donate fabric: Becky Parkinson at 937-2159