COOPERSVILLE, Mich. — Every Thursday morning for the last 10 years a group of ladies have been meeting at the farm museum in Coopersville on Main Street. They sit amongst the vintage tractors in the middle of the museum. They talk, they laugh, they sew, they stitch, they assemble, they make quilts. They are some of the nicest, creative women you’ll meet. The camaraderie is awesome, and they just plain enjoy each others company and have a great time. They call themselves the Crazy Ladies Quilting Circle.
Back in 2003 a half-dozen ladies got together to take some quilting classes from Sally Hitchcock. When the classes wrapped up several weeks later, the women said “what will we do on Thursday mornings now that we’re done.” The suggestion was made not to stop, but continue meeting each Thursday and keep the good times rolling.
It’s important to note the Crazy Ladies just don’t quilt for the fun of it. It speaks highly of their character to say they quilt for several reasons. Some of what they do is kept, while other quilts are made and donated to the Veterans Hospital in Grand Rapids. Still, quilt dolls are made for younger children that may be ill, have lost a parent, or have been in an accident. Other quilts are made and raffled off in order to help raise money for the museum.
Crazy quilting is not as it was in the old days following a pattern or rigid design to the best of your ability. The Crazy Ladies pride themselves in taking scraps of fabric or material from sewing and piecing things together. Perhaps it’s a crazy quilt vest, a lap quilt for warmth, or some other article. There are no rules, no boundaries, just unlimited creativity, laughter, and fellowship.
The museum has large, small, and colorful quilts draped all over. One is an American flag, another is a huge Alaskan theme with animals and measures to a grand size of 112 inches wide by 119 inches long. It’s amazing to see how the quilts are made and assembled, in some cases, with several different hands involved.
The Crazy Ladies Quilting Circle meets each Thursday (all year long). Anyone is welcome to attend and they encourage people to stop in and be part of the fun, quilt, sew, stitch, or just offer/learn ideas from others. Click here for the Farm Museum website and more information. Click here for the Crazy Ladies Facebook page. Don’t forget their annual quilt show runs each year from August through September at the museum. Find more information on the ladies and their stories here.
