Quilt for Saint Joseph

Carrying on a parish tradition

By Paula Ebert

“The quilt is out of the quilt frame.” That’s an unusual announcement to hear at the end of Mass, but not at St. Joseph Parish, Flush. The women of the parish have been quilting a pieced quilt for many years since the 1920s. They do it as part of the fundraising for the Church, as the quilt is raffled off during the annual Flush Picnic, held the last Wednesday in July.

The women gather together – for the past several years, at the home of the parish priest, Father Carl Dekat. This year, all told, 17 people donated 152 hours over the course of 24 days.

Nancy Hubbard, who isn’t a member of the parish but is a local quilting enthusiast, said that she comes to help with the quilting to “honor the tradition of the women who came before us.” She mentioned several women of the parish, now deceased, who led the way with the quilting, including Clara Belle Ebert and Dorothy Ebert. Other women who helped with quilting who are now deceased included, Florence Noll, Loretta Straub, Viola Umscheid, Loretta Dekat, Angie Heptig, Eugenia Zoeller, Laura Deket, Anna Marie Ebert, Mary Winter, Florence Noll, Genevieve Dekat, Mary Ridder, Elizabeth Umscheid and Alvira Umshheid, to name a few.  “That’s why we need to keep it going, to carry on the tradition,” Hubbard said.

Penny Zweimiller brought her granddaughter, Jana Kellogg, 11, along to share in the quilting.

“I’ve always wanted to learn to quilt,” Jana said. She does a lot of hand sewing, making dresses for her cat. She dived right into the quilt, learning the delicate matter of pulling the threads so that the quilt was pieced properly. Along the way, she also learned about ways to do different types of quilts, as when Hubbard described how to do a blue-jean quilt.

While a quilt can be quilted in several ways, Marianne King noted that hand stitched quilts are preferred by many collectors. The quilt provides a chance for the women of the parish to chat, and get to know one another. There were new quilters this year members of the community, including Patty Chrest, Gale Seller and Victoria Lacruccua.

Dorothy Ebert’s daughter, Marty Reed, has provided the quilt top since her mother died in order to keep the tradition alive. She said she did it in memory of all the women and their hard work and dedication to the parish.

In addition to the fried chicken, the picnic is also noted for home-made pies and the country store with fresh from the garden produce and home canned items. This year, the parish is going to display “fancy work” done in the past, such as tatting, crocheting, crewel, embroidery, and more.

Tickets are on sale two quilts, and can be purchased by calling Marge Magnett at 785-456-1300, or by writing to 8200 N. Highway 99, Wamego KS, 66541. Tickets are $1 or each or six tickets for $5. The second one is donated by Dorene Taylor, and hand stitched by herself. Doreen’s is called “Block in a Block,” and the other quilt done by the parish community is called “Garden Glory.”