Got Scraps? Make a Quilt

"We realized that the kids turn to the streets because of neglect, abuse and sheer poverty," explains Ollie Lucas, Unang Hakbang Foundation (UHF) founder and trustee. "We want to prevent more kids from plying the streets by providing their mothers with some sort of livelihood. Even a small income enables them to care for their children better. Thus we set up what we now call the Mothers’ Class."

The mothers have attended the various seminars in Welfareville and at the UHF headquarters at St. Francis Church on Shaw Blvd. which include family planning, cooking and various arts and crafts. Lately, the Welfareville mothers have taken to crocheting Christmas decors and quilting baby blankets and crib quilts.

Together with another UHF trustee, Carissa Singson, I set up a quilting class on Saturday mornings at the Welfareville barangay hall. I was keen on quilting because I have a small garment business that yields cotton scraps by the sacks. When my sewer told me that they just burned the scraps, I felt there had to be a way to use them. I took a look at the pastel colored scraps and remembered a pattern for a baby blanket in a quilting book. I pieced it by hand and was quite pleased with the result. Later on, I was even more pleased with the unique patterns and combinations that the scraps could form. I was able to make two full-size bedcovers for my boys’ twin beds.

There were eight skeptical mothers that showed up on the first day of quilting class. Some of them knew how to sew the basic back stitch and running stitch. Some were there to make usyoso; others to bring their kids to UHF daycare. As I explained what we were going to do, I felt the mothers sizing me up; they could not see the relevance of crafting in their lives. But they started to warm up to the idea when I pulled out the crib quilt I made for my daughter. They seemed interested that the quilt could be assembled from scraps–and by hand, too.

Competing with daycare in the next room, I shouted out instructions. When we handed out materials–scissors, needle, thread, pencils, rulers and, of course, scraps–there was quite a commotion as mothers grabbed for materials, thinking there might not be enough to go around. Carissa and I finally settled the class down, assuring them of enough supply. "Pantay-pantay lahat iyan. Huwag kayong mag-aalala–may nakalaan para sa lahat."

First we traced patterns on to the cloth. Then we pieced four squares to make one block, which we pieced on to another plain block. In no time, the mothers were busy cutting and sewing. We ended the class with instructions for them to work at home.

To my surprise, the mothers came to next week’s class with their practice quilt all finished. Some of their handiwork was so good it looked machine-quilted. Finishing the quilt gave them a lot of confidence. More mothers heard about the class and trooped in, until we had 20 mothers in all. Some had extremely thick eyeglasses and couldn’t thread the needle. Some complained of back and neck pain and eye strain because they quilted through the night, some by candlelight.

Excitement peaked when we got an invitation from the Department of Trade to join their bazaar last month. We had to come up with 200 crib quilts. The mothers quilted at a dizzying pace–some finished up to five quilts a week. Everyone was amazed at the turn-out: the quilts were really pretty–florals, checks, prints–and are thoughtful gifts for infants and a source of pride for the mothers. "I think the mothers really got into it," says Carissa. "They have stopped gambling and actually keep busy with quilting. It has become the highlight of their day. They are proud to create something beautiful with their own hands."

Of course, the generous amount UHF pays them per piece is a big incentive. The mothers come to class happy and prou

"Pinambayad ko yung kita ko sa quilt sa kuryente at upa namin," says Roselyn.

I have come to know the mothers in a more intimate way. Lita, the fastest sewer, is a widow. "Mabilis ‘yan manahi kasi walang asawa," the mothers chorus. Some have seen her quilting under the fly-over at Crossing where she sells cigarettes. She has five children and raises them with her P150 daily earnings, so the extra money from quilting makes a big difference.

Vicky’s husband fell ill and could not work. "Lagi siyang nalulungkot dahil wala na daw siyang silbi," she says. "Pinag-gupit ko ng retaso at nabuhayan siya. Ngayon, busy siya palagi sa paggupit." Many of the women’s husbands are "extra sa construction" with no permanent jobs. Some mothers have been abandoned; others live with part-time or shabu-addicted husbands. They guard their quilt earnings like a hawk and spend the money carefully on their children.

But definitely the most positive impact of the project is the confidence gained by the mothers. In the end, getting sweaty and sneezy and losing my voice and crouching on the cement floor in the barangay hall every Saturday morning was well worth it. I show up in my most tattered clothes, sometimes realizing I did not even brush my hair. There are not very many places where appearance does not count for much; the Welfareville barangay hall is one of them.

The mothers have realized the importance of being productive and this has empowered them to realize what they can achieve rather than just waiting around passively. They have also learned to use what they have and turn it into something good. This is an important lesson in life and the true essence behind a quilt. Quilting is a craft for the soul, engaging not only our eyes and hands but also our imagination and resourcefulness.

Working with one’s hands is restorative, offering release from tension and temporary escape from the harshness of life. Quilting shows off a woman’s skill: her patience, her ability to endure hardship and, ultimately, how she values herself as a human being. For at the end of the day, making the most of what you have is a key to attaining character and, subsequently, happiness. As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Our motto has thus become, "When life gives you scraps, make a quilt."

The quilts (about 30 inches square) retail for P295 each–a very good deal, considering it is beautifully handmade and unique (no two quilts are alike as the design depends on scraps available). We promise the quilts will keep your babies warm and cozy because they come with a lot of love and goodwill. Check them out, as well as other decor and gift items, at the UHF office at St. Francis Church (in front of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel) or call Amy at tel 637-4901. The quilts come packaged in decorative bags made by the mothers and children of St. Francis.