Veterans and their families have long turned to stitching for comfort, therapy, and simply to help others. Civil War families gathered and knitted socks to channel emotions into something productive. World War I soldiers who suffered from what we now know as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were taught embroidery as physical therapy. Many medical studies also document the health benefits of our repetitive and methodical hobbies to reduce stress and boost mental and emotional well-being.
In honor of Veterans Day, here are a few notable veterans helping other veterans through quilting.
Before the Quilts of Valor (QOV) Foundation was established in 2003, to honor and comfort service members and veterans, Jerome Anthony Nedved, a World War II veteran from Iowa, had already made over 500 quilts not only for veterans but also for overseas church missions and, well, anyone in need.
Born on July 31, 1922, Jerome was very proud of the things he had done in his life. He served in the Battle of the Bulge. He was also a father and a lifelong farmer. In his free time, he had a few hobbies, especially canning and quilting. His granddaughter, Staci Hansen, said, “His mother was in a wheelchair, so he learned at an early age to help around the house. As a child, he learned to sew.”
“After his retirement from farming in 1984, he and my grandma moved into town: Pocahontas, Iowa. My grandma continued to embroider quilt blocks and make quilts. With not a lot to do with himself besides garden, my grandpa decided to start collecting blue jeans from everybody he could, so he could help the church ladies make quilts for overseas missions,” Staci said.
He sat for hours in his little room off the garage, cutting squares. He used little tiles as patterns for small, medium, and large blocks. He would cut all day long. “There was never much left of a pair of blue jeans by the time he was done,” Staci said. “He would then start pinning his blocks and sewing. He was never one to quit once he got started. He would spend hours upon hours sewing until it was done.“
Each of his children and grandchildren also received a quilt from him. After over 500 quilts in about 20 years, he decided to be done. We lost this great American on March 12, 2005.
Valerie Baker, a retired Army officer and owner of Pound and Inch Fabric and Sewing Store in Moline, Illinois, donated six new sewing machines to the Quad Cities Veteran Outreach Center in Davenport, Iowa, to encourage activities that can help promote mental health. “For veterans who are adjusting to life after service,—or with service-connected conditions such as anxiety, depression, and other situations—sewing or quilting can be a positive experience. The Outreach Center moved into a great new location, and they deserved to have nice new machines to facilitate classroom instruction.”
The Quad Cities Veteran Outreach Center serves 4,600 veterans in the community. As a result of Valerie’s generous donation, the Center now has a dedicated craft and sewing room.
There, veterans take advantage of open sewing times or participate in volunteer-led quilting classes. All the fabric, thread, and batting are donated. Polly Graham, a veteran herself and a Center board of directors member said, ”There is great comradery when vets gather in general. But the sewing room provides true therapy. This is their happy place.”
“I find sewing and quilting to be very beneficial, from the physical aspect to the creativity of project inspiration, completion, and the giving or selling the project to someone who needs it or loves it as much as I did while creating,” Valerie said. She made her My Army Life quilt during the final six months of her Army career. “I served 21 years, and the quilt includes all the locations and facilities I served at. It was a way for me to process the experiences I survived—from lowly Second Lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel, from Fort Polk to Iraq. It hangs in my office and always reminds me of how far I have come and that I can do difficult things,” Valerie said.
Andrew Lee, known as the Combat Quilter, found quilting as his personal comfort for PTSD. From Loudon, Tennessee, Andrew served two tours in Iraq. “I tried everything the Army offered, but none of it helped me. Then, I discovered quilting,” Andrew said. “When I’m quilting at the sewing machine, everything else goes away. It’s therapeutic.”
He began quilting in 2016 when a flyer appeared in the mailbox offering a quilted table runner class at the local quilt shop. “I thought this might get me the ‘good husband award,’” he said. On the shopping trip to buy fabric for the project, Andrew met the husband-and-wife team for the North Knoxville QOV group. They invited him to their Wednesday night men’s quilting group.
He has made great strides, both with his mental health and his newfound skills. Now Andrew works on a QOV quilt every day. So far, he’s made 687 quilts and gifted all but four. His Iwo Jima quilt Shock and Awe has been displayed at Houston’s International Quilt Festival. He has also designed fabric lines for Timeless Treasure.
Andrew hopes his story helps others. “You are not alone. Try things out of the box to find your peace and happiness,” Andrew said. “Sometimes, God’s light is a candle behind a bush, and other times, it’s a Batman signal in the sky.” As a kid, going to church with his grandmother, they would pray to “be a light to the world.”
Diane L. Murtha is an award-winning quilter, fiber artist, author, and international lecturer and instructor. Quilting for over 30 years, she gravitated to art quilts and discovered she loves challenges. Her quilts and articles are included in books, 30 + magazines, and multiple juried exhibits and international shows. Diane published her first book, Artful Insights in Fiber: Quilted Bits of Wit & Wisdom in March 2023. She currently resides in Iowa. Learn more at www.dianeLmurtha.com, or follow her on Instagram @dianelmurtha.
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