Local quilters create heirloom masterpieces, keeping a colorful craft alive. The art of quilting dates back to ancient Egypt. Each stitch serves as a reminder of the artist's love and care. Whether for warmth, decoration or art's sake, a quilt is a valued possession to cherish and pass along from one generation to the next. FAMILY TRADITION "I learned by growing up around it," says Ouida Nolan, reflecting on her childhood memories of quilting with her family. "My grandfather even grew the cotton for the quilts." For Nolan, growing up in the country meant watching her mother and grandmother make quilts. Quilting frames were hung from the ceiling for storage and then rolled down when it was time to continue the work in progress. Neighbors would come from surrounding areas for quilting bees. The women used that opportunity to socialize, but their principal goal was creating winter warmth. To keep her craft flourishing, Nolan quilted for years with a group of women at Theodore United Methodist Church. They hand-made and donated 13 quilts to the Ronald McDonald House. Nolan has retired from quilting, but her passion lives on in the heirloom pieces she's hand-stitched for all 12 of her grandchildren. BUSY BEES "It's a strange hobby," says Bonnie Johnson, a past president and current public relations contact for Azalea City Quilters' Guild. "It was natural for me to become a quilter. I love table puzzles and sewing." Johnson talks with great pride about her association with the guild, which has more than 240 members and 10 to 20 bees happening at a time. The bees have a variety of purposes, from philanthropic to nostalgic. One of the quilting bees makes child-size quilts for children in the hospital. There are also several women who go weekly to an assisted-living home to quilt with the residents. In addition to making quilts, there are members in the organization who refurbish and appraise them. In 2009, the Mobile Arts Council named the guild the Mobile Arts Organization of the Year. GIFT TO OTHERS About 50 miles north of Mobile, the quilting tradition continues. Poarch Creek Indian Senior Services, in Atmore, has a group of faithful quilters who meet every day. They repair old quilts and will complete unfinished quilts by hand for anyone. "We can even do it the old-fashioned way of tacking the bottom, top and batting together," says Carolyn Dortch, Senior Services director. They will work on any size, from a small wall hanging to a king-size bedcover. Soon, the women will also be able to do patchwork and piece quilts together. The money they raise goes toward travel and activities for the senior citizens. It seems so simple to construct a quilt, with a top, a bottom and batting in the middle. However, it is a time-consuming, hands-on process that blends skill with talent and desire. There is no end to the variety of color, pattern and style - from patchwork to applique, from seed sacks to the finest textiles. Quilting has come a long way from its beginnings in ancient Egypt. QUILTING ORGANIZTIONS Azalea City Quilters' Guild 10 a.m. second T. Spring Hill Avenue United Methodist Church, 2519 Spring Hill Ave. 471-2461. Bay Minette Quilters 8 a.m. - Noon W/Th. Bay Minette Recreation Center, 611 McMeans Ave. Central Baldwin Quilting Queens 6 p.m. T, Th. George P. Thames Senior Citizens Center, 22651 E. Chicago St., Robertsdale. Eastern Shore Bee 9:30 a.m. fourth Th. Daphne Recreation Art Department, 2605 U.S. Highway 98. Fairhope Quilt Guild 10 a.m. second Th. James P. Nix Senior Center, 1 Bayou Drive, Fairhope. Friendship Quilters 9 a.m. second F. Foley Senior Center, 304 E. Rose Ave. Island Quilters Guild 9 a.m. third W. Harry Roberts Community House, 300 E. 16th Ave., Gulf Shores. 995-2111. Poarch Creek Indian Senior Services 777 Lynn McGhee Drive, Atmore. 368-9136 ext. 2615. Silver Thimble Quilt Club 9:30 a.m. first Th. Foley United Methodist Church, 915 N. Pine St. Stitch-n-Friends 1 p.m. second T. George P. Thames Senior Citizens Center, 22651 E. Chicago St., Robertsdale. Image information: Main: A few of Ouida Nolan's quilts surround her: "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" is a blue and creme creation with concentric circles; "Flower Reel" is a crisp white quilt with flowers in cheerful spring colors; and "Moi Moi" is covered in multicolored stars. Left and Center: Mary Jane McGhee works on hand stitching wall hangings, memento gifts from the Poarch Creek tribal elders to University of Alabama coach Nick Saban. Right: Myrtis Kinman adds a stitch to one of the colorful textiles. Photos by Susan S. Kangal