Every Wednesday, tucked in a corner room at the Richardson Senior Center, you will find a small group of women. Usually you’ll hear talking, laughter and the humming of sewing machines.
“They always say to look at what you enjoyed in your childhood and take it up again in retirement. Well, I like sewing,” said Treva Smutz, part of the volunteer group called Senior Quilt Hugs.
Since 2006, women have rolled up their sewing machines into the Senior Center once a week to make quilts. They’re not quilting for themselves or even family members, but instead for women’s shelters, children advocacy centers, and animal shelters.
“I don’t need to worry about what I’m going to do with it after I sewed it,” Smutz said. “We give it away. So, it’s fun.”
Delora Cain, who has been a member of the group since its beginning, says they mostly work with fabrics that are donated to the Senior Center. Each woman gets to choose what fabric and pattern they want to use to make unique quilts for adults and children.
“The great thing is that I didn’t have to invest money in fabric,” Smutz said. “They have plenty of it here. I don’t need a stash of fabric.”
Any extra pieces of fabric, or scraps, is then given to another woman to use to stuff pillows for dogs in the shelter.
The women also make and sell crafts at the Senior Holiday Bazaar at the Senior Center each year. That money helps buy any other necessary supplies, and the rest is donated back to the charities that the group quilts for.
“Being able to sell what we’ve made and have that money to give a contribution to places that we value and want to support is great,” Smutz said.
Most of the women only work on the quilts for a couple of hours every Wednesday, although some find time at home. By the end of the year, each of the women will have sewn one or two quilts. In December 2021, the volunteer group donated eight finished quilts and 25 pillows to shelters for children and women. They also work on special quilts for organizations like Heroes on Water.
Senior Quilt Hugs is always open to have experienced sewers join their volunteer group. However, they want new participants to remember that this group is about sewing for others. The weekly meetings have allowed many of the women to find their passing for sewing and helping others all while having fun and making new friends.
For more information on how to volunteer with Senior Quilt Hugs or to find other volunteer opportunities within the Richardson Senior Center, please visit www.cor.net/seniorcenter. You can also call 972-744-7800.
