Jesse Gallegos
Public Relations Coordinator
Luna Community College
Sept. 15, 2020
Luna quilting students get crafty
Quilting students at Luna Community College continue to make brilliant items as they work through the COVID-19 pandemic. So much so, that over the summer, several students took part in a Pandemic Scavenger Quilt Challenge.
The class has been taught remotely.
In doing so, each Monday for eight consecutive weeks, students received instructions to look through their quilting items and add something new to their quilt. Essentially, each student was asked to find a background piece of fabric, add lines, squares, circles, or words relating to the pandemic. As part of the challenge, and to make sure they could date their quilts, students had to sew the year 2020 and add something unique to their experience of the pandemic. In addition, students were asked to sew something beautiful they found, saw, or did during the pandemic.
At the end of the class, each student was asked to place their name and personal icon in a creative way.
Several students, including quilting instructor Lin Chibante, finished their quilts. The student participants were April Hoogerhuies, Alison Larance, Mary Loera, Gloria Mejillas, Genevieve Marquez, Annette Martinez, and Linda Montoya.
“The challenge helped define and express in a creative piece each quilter’s experience during the stay-at-home months of summer 2020,” said Chibante. “The little quilts will not only be memories of the pandemic of 2020 for a long time to come but also gave quilters a way to think about and come to understand the pandemic for themselves while keeping busy.”
Here are some comments from students:
“It has great meaning to me as I incorporated several things including Wonder Woman, my faith, my sewing skills, feathers, and a mask,” said April Hoogerhuies. “In addition to working on this quilt, I made approximately 1,000 masks during this stressful time.”
“This small quilt was made during the rough times of COVID-19,” said Gloria Mejillas. “I made masks (and) baby blankets and enjoyed the mama bird and her babies outside my studio window. I stayed home (quite a bit) and still do. This project was a way to help cope with what this pandemic has brought to everyone in general. Stay safe and wear your masks when you have to.”
“The lilies in my yard were beautiful this year, and my quilt features a lily,” said Chibante. “I included Dr. (Anthony) Fauci and ‘lockdown’ for words describing the pandemic. The white ribbon symbolizes the first responders. Through it all, the (2020) census was taken. I had the time to do many details by hand and enjoyed slow stitching. All the words and images in my quilt will always remind me of my thoughts during the summer COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.”
“In my quilt, I featured a doctor’s mask and flowers, along with beads and embroidered embellishments,” said Alison Larance. “I felt a little disconnected creating this quilt, as I am an essential worker and my day-to-day life hasn’t changed much, unlike most others. The greatest change has been to my daily commute. Still, I enjoyed putting together the pieces of this quilt and the time spent contemplating the new world we’re in now.”
“It has the symbol of the COVID-19,” said Genevieve Marquez. “All these things (in my quilt) have occurred. More pets were adopted, and there are no sports. It’s affecting children.”
Chibante said the next challenge is open to all Luna students and employees. The theme will be Landscape Art Quilt. If you would like to participate and receive instructions on the quilting challenge, e-mail Chibante at llchibante@luna.edu. The completion date is Oct. 30.
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