Quilting is senior’s ‘gift to the world’

The fabric of Bonnie Spather’s life could best be described as a quilt square.

The year was 1972 in Annandale, Va., she said, when a neighbor gave her a book picturing the quilt block design called Job’s Tears. It was so beautiful, said Spather, 77, that she wanted a quilt of made up of the design. But there was only one problem. She had no idea how to go about making a quilt.

Spather’s “can do” spirit won out, and she found a solution to her dilemma.

“I could barely hold a needle,” she said. “But I really wanted to learn, so I placed an ad in the paper asking ‘if anyone wants to learn to quilt, let’s get together.’ Within two weeks, the group had 16 people.”

A year later, the group formally organized and named themselves “Quilters Unlimited.” Spather held the position of president. As her skill increased, she taught others to quilt through adult education classes. Even after Spather’s departure from Virginia, the organization grew: Today there are 1,400 members in Quilters Unlimited.

“Quilting was the first time that I felt I could really do something and felt confidence in myself,” she said.

During Ronald Reagan’s inauguration as president, the Hubert Humphrey Building in Washington displayed crafts from all over the world. Spather and a friend not only had quilts on hand, but were demonstrators as well.

“I love my quilts. I get such a feeling of accomplishment from them, and it’s a peaceful hobby,” said Spather. “And they will last longer than I will. They are my gift to the world.”

Spather estimates she’s made 30 quilts in her years at the craft, but there is one that remains in her head only. It is an AIDS quilt for her son, Lane, who passed away from the disease in 1994.

“I haven’t made one for Lane because I don’t want to bring closure to his life,” she said. “Maybe that sounds silly, I don’t know. I just prefer to think of him as still living in San Francisco.” Lane, one of four boys born to Spather, was 37 when he died.

“Lane asked me to volunteer for an AIDS organization,” she said. “In 1996, I started through RSVP [Retired & Senior Volunteer Program] at the Eastern Maine AIDS Network, having moved back to Maine.” She was subsequently hired as a receptionist and remained there until last year.

While at EMAN, Spather facilitated a quilting class for people interested in making AIDS quilts for loved ones. The creations were displayed at Norumbega Hall in 1998, during a partial showing of the national AIDS quilt.

While quilting is a large part of Spather’s life, it is not her only passion. Baking is another source of pleasure. Her shipping skills need a little work, however.

“I sent cookies to Lane and his brother Tim in California, but I didn’t pack them right,” she said with a robust laugh. “Lane called and said, ‘Well, we had to eat them with a spoon, but they were the best tasting crumbs we ever had.’ I’ll never forget it.”

Memories of Lane are never far from Spather’s thoughts, and while there is no AIDS quilt quite yet, she treasures the navy-and-white one she made for him. It was a permanent fixture on his bed.

“You have to bounce back after hardship,” she said, referring to her divorce and the death of her child. “Life is to be lived. I guess that’s what gets me through.”

Florida is soon to have a little bit more sunshine. Spather is moving there to be closer to family.

“It will be wonderful,” she said. “My daughter-in-law wants help with her quilting.”

Sounds perfect.

Carol Higgins is communications director at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information on EAA, call 941-2865 or log on www.eaaa.org.