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Natalie Eckberg
|  Despite being in the midst of an age of high-tech gadgets and modern technology, the popularity of the ages- old hobby of sewing, knitting and quilting is on the rise.
“I always used to say that sewing was a lost art,” said 58-year-old Grace Morales. “My mother taught me how to do the basics like sew a button on a shirt, hem pants. She tried to teach me how to do more – but I wasn’t very interested in learning. I always regretted that.”
So this year, Morales did what she had been promising herself she would be do for more than a decade – she pulled out her sewing machine and started to give it a whirl with advice from her friend Bernice Graf, who teaches sewing lessons in Las Cruces to friends and family.
“I picked it up faster than I thought I would,” said Morales. “And it’s so much fun. I feel like my mom is right there next to me, cheering me on.”
Her next project?
“Quilting, definitely,” she said. “I have my first grandbaby on the way and how great would it be to be able to make quilts for all my grandchildren? As they get older, they can pass the quilts onto their children and their children’s children. It gives me goose bumps to think about it.”
Sales of sewing machines are rising, knitting clubs are burgeoning and interest in do-it-yourself crafts is on the rise.
There is a new pride in being able to both make and buy handmade items, as users of the ever-growing site Etsy – the craft equivalent of eBay – can testify.
“I’m on Etsy two, three times a week,” said 52-year-old knitter and quilter Monique Estrada, who looks for fabric swatches and beads from the site. “You can find some really amazing crafts on there, as well as supplies. Things that are very unique and special.”
Deborah Adrian, president of the El Paso Northeast Quilters Guild and owner of The Desert Quilter, said that activities such as sewing and quilting have become more popular in recent years not just among older Americans, but the younger population as well.
“I think a lot of it is nostalgia,” said Adrian, who has been sewing and quilting since her youth. “And it is very much tied to the recession. Much of it is us learning an appreciation for learning and creating, and for simple pleasures.”
The guild, which meets once a month, is open to both beginners and experienced quilters alike. Meetings of about 30 members provide an opportunity for “show and tell” and informal guidance. The group also offers educational workshops to guild members. Separately organized quilting bees often are formed as a result of associations made at the guild. El Paso also is home to Eastside and Westside Quilters Guilds.
“Our motto is that we are beginner friendly, experienced welcome,” said Adrian, who also creates custom quilts and helps finish projects through The Desert Quilter. “We try to make it instructional for those who need it, and fun for everybody.”
Especially gratifying is the socializing and emotional bonds created during the guild meetings, she continued.
“It truly becomes a social evening,” said Adrian. “People really love to laugh and have fun. Many friendships have been born from these meetings. And it’s wonderful to see the learning and collaboration that goes on. There are many talented ladies in El Paso and they are willing to share what they know with others.”
Estrada agreed.
“There’s something special about women gathering together to do crafts or sew,” she said. “You feel like you are part of a community. It’s wonderful to feel like you are part of something.”
Beyond the socialization and the opportunity to create a long-lasting heirloom, Adrian said projects like quilting have other benefits as well.
“There is a running joke that (the guild meetings) are therapy,” she said. “But it really isn’t far off from the truth. These are stressful times. People are worried about losing jobs, the economy. This is an opportunity to put those worries down and relax. It’s very therapeutic.”
Among the El Paso Northeast Quilters Guild’s goals is to become a formal 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and to participate in community outreach events. The guild, which is soliciting donations of materials, plans to begin creating lap blankets for veterans residing at the Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home.
“We want to give back to the community,” Adrian said. “That’s very important to us.”
Make something!
El Paso’s Northeast
Quilters Guild
2nd Thursday of each month
7 - 9 pm
Trinity Presbyterian Church 8001 Magnetic
(Corner of Titanic Ave)
CONTACT: (915) 751-2132
Yarn Addicts
Crochet Guild
Meets monthly
Call 584-2243 or 820-2125 (español) for more information.
Comments or questions about this story? E-mail swsenior@elpasoinc.com
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