30th Anniversary Quilt

The Brandermill Church Quilt was a labor of love.

Twenty women worked together for more than two years to plan, select, piece, appliqué, quilt, and join the components.

The overall design of the quilt mirrors the large plate-glass windows at the front and rear of our sanctuary. Because our church does not have an actual stained-glass window, we selected vibrant Batik fabrics which have a “stained-glass look.” By dividing the square and rectangular panes into smaller squares, we arrived at a total of 64 quilt blocks, 32 on each side of the vertical section of the cross.

All of these blocks are significant to the Brandermill Church: they have Biblical names, they are associated with water, or they honor our church's pastors. We have two of each design (just as Noah had two of each animal).

These 64 blocks are machine-sewn or hand-sewn. Each blockmaker selected her own combination of colors for the blocks she sewed. We then joined blocks with black sashing strips (window mullions). All quilting was done by hand.

The center cross is appliquéd with a variety of green leaves. These vines and leaves echo the quote at the quilt's top: I am the vine, you are the branches. 

Above the cross, we have two trees.  This quilt pattern is called "The Tree of Life."  The tree on the left, with its single red piece of fruit, represents the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil," from the garden of Eden.

The tree on the right represents the variety of global outreach missions of the Brandermill Church. With its multiple colors, it recalls our mission work around the world:  Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, West Virginia, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, just to name a few.

The Nativity scene marks the journey of the wise men and shepherds to see the Holy Family in the manger. It also marks what has become a rite of passage at the Brandermill Church:  the Christmas pageant which has involved so many children and families over the church's history. Of course, above the scene is an angel heralding Jesus' birth, and the star which guided the visitors to the manger.

We proudly presented this quilt, made by members of The Brandermill Church, on November 11, 2007.