A quilt club gives its work to a shelter for abused women

The 13 members of The Satilla Quilters have made hundreds of handmade quilts since the organization was established six years ago.

A queen-size quilt could fetch as much as $350 at consignment stores or at festivals featuring arts and crafts, but the women in the organization aren't in it for the money.

Instead, they have made more than 300 quilts the past three years, with more than 200 of them donated to local charities. Most of the others go to friends and close relatives.

Camden House, a home for abused women in St. Marys, Ga., is the latest recipient of the group's generosity. The women made 24 quilts for the organization that are waiting to be placed in rooms at the shelter.

Twyla Green, director of Camden House, said the quilts are placed on beds for the women and their children staying at the home. The durable quilts are given to the women when they leave the shelter.

"It gives the women comfort. It gives the children comfort," Green said. "They are very appreciated."

Nancy Trudeau, a club member, said most of the quilts are made entirely by individual members, but they sometimes have group projects where they all participate in the design and construction of the quilts of all different sizes.

The club has donated quilts to more than a dozen charities including Southeast Georgia Health System, American Cancer Society and Wolfson Hospital.

They meet from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. once a week at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Woodbine, Ga., which has also been given quilts from club members.

The club has only one officer, the treasurer, because its membership is so limited. The quilters know other women who want to join, but they don't have enough space in the church room where sewing machines, ironing boards, tables and other equipment is set up.

The women plan a competition among themselves for an upcoming Smithsonian Institution display, "Hometown Teams."

Joyce Dale said she and other group members plan to make sports-related quilts that will go on display in October at the public library in Kingsland, Ga. She plans to make a quilt dedicated to Camden County High School sports.

"It's to see who does the most interesting quilt," she said. "It's taking pieces of fabric, cutting them up and putting them back together in an interesting way."