Quilters work on ‘Garden Trellis' for Relay

Nineteen Ansonians are helping preserve an American tradition.

Each year, a group of local quilters carefully crafts an enormous quilt from scratch, according to Cynthia Little of Wadesboro, and the quilt is later the prize of a drawing benefiting the cancer research efforts of Anson County Relay for Life.
The group meets at First United Methodist Church in Wadesboro, said Little, and in less than a week, a beautiful new quilt is created.
Thursday morning, Little said she began quilting when she was 4 years old, learning from her late grandmother, Bessie Springer of Cedar Hill.
“Nowadays I quilt alongside my mother, Lina Hildreth,” she said.

Quilter Betty Horan lauded Little for donating the fabric (100-percent cotton) and materials for the quilt.
“We all admire Cynthia a lot because of the work she’s done,” said Horan. “I think this is a very worthwhile project.”
In addition to Little and Horan, the other quilters are Alice Rhinehardt, Elsie Potter, Lina Hildreth, Sissy Hendley, Ross Hendley, John Livingston, Glenda Livingston, June Rollins, Barbara Edwards Johnson, Beverly Freeman, Doris Bennett, Elizabeth Burns, Betty Ann Crawford, Marty Smith, Ruth Hickman, Helen Chewning and Mary Neal Hill.
Little said the group started Feb. 19 at 9 a.m., and she projected a Friday finish.
“This is the fourth quilt we’ve done for Relay,” she said. “We’re going faster than I thought we would.”
This year’s quilt, “Garden Trellis,” is about 7.5 feet by 8.33 feet and features a predominantly purple pattern of geometric shapes, with splashes of green thrown in, said Little.
“I tried to pick a new color,” she said, “and purple is appropriate, because it’s the Relay color.”
Passing on the quilting tradition, with its know-how, enthusiasm and fellowship, is important, said Little.
“I love to share it with others,” she said, “and I try to encourage new quilters.”
The New Beginnings cancer support group is the sponsor of the quilt drawing, said Little, and tickets are $1 each, available in Wadesboro at Lacy’s and H.W. Little & Co., Inc. Hardware. Checks may be made to the American Cancer Society, she added.
The drawing will be held May 4, she said, probably at about 10 p.m., at Relay for Life.

(Reprinted with permission from the Anson Record, http://www.ansonrecord.com/articles/2007/03/01/news/local_life/local01.txt)