EBENSBURG - The shelves at Cindy Martin's Creative Fabrics and Quilt Shop are packed with a variety of brightly-colored and eye-catching fabrics.
Quilts and materials of all sizes adorn the walls, but one quilt in particular dominates the space behind the cash register, which has a "Win this quilt!" sign clipped on its side.
But the quilt, titled "Patriots in Petticoats," was originally on display in a much less fashionable location - the trunk of a car.
Article Photos
Mirror photo by Zach Geiger
(From left)?Connie Kostelnik, Cindy Martin and Joyce Scappino display the “Patriots in Petticoats” quilt at Creative Fabrics and Quilt Shop in Ebensburg.
"It wasn't getting the attention it deserved," Martin said.
With her help, members of the Johnstown chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution now have a prominent location to display the quilt - and have since seen their ticket sales increase dramatically.
The winner will take home the quilt following the Veteran's Day parade in Johnstown, but proceeds from the ticket sale will benefit the real winners - veterans at the Hollidaysburg Veterans Home.
Quilter Connie Kostelnik, a Colver resident, said Martin's efforts have been a "godsend" for the organization.
"We knew how to quilt, but we certainly didn't know anything about promoting it," Kostelnik said with a laugh.
As of Friday, Martin had sold about $600 worth of tickets. More are available for purchase, she said.
Kostelnik and her co-quilter, Joyce Scappino, volunteered to craft the quilt on behalf of the DAR chapter to raise funds to help area veterans. The two are longtime friends who first met on a trip to an American Quilters Society show in Lancaster.
The pair obtained permission to use the patterns for the copyrighted design and quilted the piece on Scappino's long-arm quilter machine.
"The patterns are based on Revolutionary War quilt pattern blocks," Martin said.
The quilt is made in shades of gold, navy blue, rust, chocolate and other "primitive" colors. The various patterns represent famous Revolutionary War women, including Martha Washington, Kostelnik said.
She estimated it took her and Scappino about three months to create the final product.
Customers have taken notice of the quilt, which will remain on display at Martin's store until the parade.
"The first thing they say is, 'Wow, can I buy a pattern to make that quilt?'" Martin said.
For now, the quilt remains a one-of-a-kind piece, the women said.
Scappino said DAR will collect proceeds from the ticket sales and decide whether to make a monetary donation or clothing donations for residents at the veterans home.
The women agreed the project was a fun challenge and are hopeful the quilt goes to a good home where it will be put to use.
"It's just a fun thing to do," Kostelnik said of her hobby. "I've had a wonderful time doing it."
Mirror Staff Writer Zach Geiger is at 946-7535.
