Excerpt from The Vallejo Times-Herald, April 21, 2020
By Richard Freeman
Michelle Savoy would stop short of saying she and her fellow Vallejo Piecemakers colleagues are the 2020 version of Rosie the Riveter, the iconic symbol of women workers during World War II.However, while this enemy — COVID-19 — is invisible, the Piecemakers’ contributions surely aren’t. Not when this group of a dozen women has churned…
Excerpt from The Vallejo Times-Herald, February 2, 2019
by Richard Freedman
Rosie the Riveter she’s not. Rosie the Quilter? Undoubtedly.
Rosie Rockwood, whose labor of love has warmed the hearts and bodies of hundreds of souls through the years, presented six colorful quilts to Gretchen Shilts of Solano/Napa Habitat for Humanity at the Florence Douglas Center on Saturday.
The full-sized quilts will find a home with a yet-earmarked disabled veteran and family selected for a new Habitat for Humanity home, Shilts said, joyfully accepting the donation at the end of the monthly Vallejo Piecemakers meeting.
“It takes a lot of work” for each quilt, Shilts acknowledged. “And the care and skill is even more special with the love they’re made with.”…
Excerpt from The Vallejo Times-Herald, January 6, 2018
By Katy St. Clair
A quilt is a work of art that also wraps you in a hug. By that token, people have been stitching together pieces of fabric to make homewares or gifts of warmth since the early times.
Needlework can be a solitary hobby, so it stands to reason that groups would form to sew together, compare designs and maybe even show off a little.
Vallejo has its own quilting guild known as the Piecemakers, and at nearly 100 members, it’s certainly one of the most active “sewing circles” in the area.
“I love to quilt, love to sew,” said member Pat Walling. “I embroider now, too. I’ve started a cottage industry, really. Kind of helps out. You know, when you’re a senior citizen, every little bit helps.”…
Read more:
https://www.timesheraldonline.com/2018/01/06/vallejos-quilting-guild-has-nearly-100-members/
Excerpt from The Vallejo Times-Herald, October 27, 2017
By Richard Freeman
Sometimes, it’s the simple things.
A meal, for sure. And, as the Vallejo Piecemakers Quilt Guild realized, a place mat.
Since earlier this year, the Piecemakers have churned out roughly 700 place mats for Meals on Wheels recipients in south Solano County, with sights set on seniors in Fairfield and Vacaville.
And that makes Ann Stevens — a Meals on Wheels board member and Vallejo Piecemakers participant — one happy camper. Rather, quilter…
Read more:
https://www.timesheraldonline.com/2017/10/27/vallejo-quilters-roll-out-the-mats-for-meals-on-wheels/
Excerpt from The Vallejo Times-Herald, April 30, 2016
By Matthew Adkins
Michelle Savoy would stop short of saying she and her fellow Vallejo
Area quilters showed off their craftsmanship Saturday during Vallejo’s second ever ‘Sew Amazing’ quilt show.
Nearly 200 colorful and unique quilts were hung in rows inside Solano County Fairgrounds’ McCormack Hall.
Noel Kimberlee, show organizer and Grand Chair of Vallejo Piecemakers, explained she was very pleased with the products on display and the level of enthusiasm from all involved.
“We have lots of very creative people in our Piecemakers guild,” Kimberlee said. “It’s so much fun to share these quilts with everybody.” As part of Vallejo’s quilting guild, Kimberlee gets plenty of opportunity to craft. For the weekend event, Kimberlee said she has seven full-sized quilts on display…
Read more:
https://www.timesheraldonline.com/2016/04/30/vallejo-quilt-makers-are-sew-amazing/
Excerpt from The Monthly Grapevine, 2015
By Joye Ogrodowski
Ann has been a member of Vallejo Piecemakers for over 20 years, and loves giving to others. The group’s current project involves quilting placemats for each and every homebound senior Meals on Wheels serves in Solano County, nearly 650 people daily. The quilters are inspired, and the goal is to brighten tables and bring good cheer. They have already created about 200, and plan to distribute them toward the beginning of next year. Vallejo Piecemakers also makes quilts for a variety of other charitable organizations, including the Florence Douglas Senior Center, the Christian Help Center, the Veterans’ Home in Yountville, Breast Cancer Auctions, the Vallejo/-Benicia Relay for Life, and the Baby Blanket Relay…
Excerpt from The Vallejo Times-Herald, October 27, 2014
By Richard Freedman
Helping victims of a tsunami in Japan? Comforting a devastated town of Joplin, Mo., after a tornado? Assisting fire-ravaged Colorado?
Rosie Rockwood and Valerie Gunnell have it covered–literally–like a blanket.
The two Vallejo friends make quilts. Almost endlessly, actually. And then find a cause. Or a cause finds them. This week, two boxes with 34 quilts head to Habitat Humanity, targeting eight low-income Solano County families in transition.
While the dynamic duo is often part of a bigger entity — the 90-member Vallejo Piecemakers — the latest project was all Rockwood and Gunnell. A labor of love for three weeks, to be sure….
Excerpt from The Vallejo Times-Herald, July 30, 2014
By John Gliddenr
Thirty-five minutes after the 65th annual Solano County Fair had opened to the public Wednesday, Barbara Pisching made a discovery that would shake the very foundation of the quilting world.
Well, maybe not.
“We have the only wall-hanging quilt that didn’t win a prize,” Pisching said with a smile, as she pointed to the quilt she had crafted with her quilting colleague, Lynda Conlow…
Read more: http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_26247841/quilters-show-off-their-work-during-first-day
Excerpt from The Vallejo Times-Herald, May 4, 2014
By Lanz Christian Banes/Times-Herald staff writer
Diana McKeever doesn”t remember what first drew her to quilting.
“When I was a kid, I started sewing patches together,” McKeever said.
Today, McKeever is president of the Vallejo Piecemakers Quilt Guild, which on Saturday opened its first quilt show at the Solano County Fairground”s McCormack Hall.
The two-day show, which continues today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is part fundraiser and part as a way to introduce the larger community to the guild…
Read more: http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_25695454/vallejo-guild-holds-first-quilt-show
Excerpt from The Vallejo Times Herald, November 23, 2013
By Irma Widjojo
Displayed front and center in Diana Roberts’ living room is a large, colorful quilt that carries memories of those who have been touched by the deadly HIV or messages to, hopefully, help educate others.
Roberts, a 72-year-old Vallejoan, recently finished sewing together the first 36 squares into a Solano County HIV AIDS quilt. It will be displayed at the downtown Vallejo World AIDS Day, 3 to 9 p.m., Sunday, in the 300 block of Georgia Street.
The Solano Aids Coalition began the quilt effort in August, and the organization has collected more than 100 squares, with more coming.
“She’s a miracle lady,” coalition president Mario Saucedo said. “I had all these squares but I didn”t know who could put them together.”…
