 |
Freedom Quilts provide comfort to grieving families.
Betty Nielson, a member of American Legion Post 588 in Varina, Iowa, and a group of volunteers have handmade more than 5,600 quilts for families of who have lost loved ones since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Each quilt is personalized, and according to their motto, each one is “handmade with love to comfort you.”
The American Legion Magazine: What inspired you to help in such a unique way?
Nielson: When I saw footage from 9/11, I felt an overwhelming need to help. I prayed God would let whatever talents I had come forward to help me serve those in need. I was barely a beginner quilter when I began my project, Freedom Quilts, Inc. Faith makes things happen.
Q: To what do you credit your success?
A: I could not do it without my support system. My husband is my right arm, and I have 15 helpers who rotate through and volunteer their time. They come whenever they can and for as long as they can.
Q: Explain the process of making a Freedom Quilt.
A: Most quilts are sewn in response to specific requests. Family members or friends of the family get in contact with us. We make them with whatever the family wishes. We use photos and clothing. We’ll incorporate images that represent special memories or stories. Every quilt gets a personal touch. These families have lost their sons and daughters while they defended our country. They must have more than random selection. Every quilt is made with a picture of the soldier in the center block, and the quilts are specially folded so that the face of the lost loved one is the first thing the recipient sees upon opening.
We do not rush the process. An individual block can take three to four hours to embroider. Quilts sometimes take as long as six months to complete. I do not believe in hurrying a quilt. When it’s going to a husband, mother or child who is hurting, it has to come strictly from the heart. Everything must be right. People suggest we make more quilts more quickly by having them all the same. I can’t do that. Each of these individuals stood out in a different way. The quilt has to reflect that.
Q: Which quilts have the most impact?
A: The most special quilts we make are those made for children who have lost a parent. Children need physical comfort. When I hear kids are having nightmares, I write a letter to accompany the quilt. I tell the children that their daddy or mommy helped me design the quilt. And when they feel down, they should wrap themselves in the quilt. The warmth and the love they feel comes straight from Dad or Mom.
Q: How does the project impact you emotionally?
A: People tell families to move on. It can feel like they’re telling them to forget. The parent of a lost child can never forget. They might carry on for the sake of others, but they never get over the pain. I tell them, “Let God guide you in your healing. Take it one day at a time, and if you need to talk, I’m here.” I cannot see an end to this project. There will always be devastation, always someone hurting and needing comfort. Quilts give that comfort. Not a day or night goes by that I don’t cry for these families. If the little bit I know about their lost loved one has torn my heart, I can only imagine what the family must feel, how their hearts have been broken. I have to do what I can to ease that. That’s what keeps me going.
For more information or to request a quilt, visit www.freedomquilts.net.
Interview: Brandy Ballenger
