Seeing the coloring page through my "grandma eyes," I picked up two to take home to my grand daughters. I then proceeded upstairs to our quilt group's weekly meeting. I put the pages on the table, along with my tote bag, quilt squares, sewing kit, pattern, my library books, and my lunch (you all know the drill!) --- later, I glanced at the coloring page with my "quilter's eyes" and saw - OF COURSE! - an applique pattern!

And an idea was born! What if we each would make a quilt block with a embellished sweater-shaped applique - and as a group, we could sash them, piece them together and create a quilt to give to the library as a gift of appreciation for hosting our group for the past 5 years in the 2nd floor back room which gave us the name, The Back Room Quilters.

Interest grew and we produced not one, but 3 quilted wall hangings from the blocks. Almost all members participated and had the pleasure of attending an afternoon party at the library in January 2009 - to officially dedicate two of the quilts. The library will have the largest quilt (about twin sized) hanging on display in its permanent collection and sold raffle tickets for the smaller wall hanging, as a fund raiser.

. . . and the third quilt - we gave it to Joanne, Fred Rogers' wife, to take to the new Fred Rogers Center at St. Vincent College. She invited us as a group to accompany her there in summer 2009 to present the quilt to the center.

One of the quilts was displayed at the Heinz History Center's 2nd annual quilt event in January.

To see more photos, go here.

Photos and an article are also featured in the March 2009 newsletter of Family Communications, Inc..

Cheryl Mclaughlin, for the Backroom Quilters