Friends of the library raise over $1,000 with quilt raffle

It was a successful fundraiser for the Friends of the Wimberley Village Library as the group raised over $1,000 dollars as part of their quilt raffle.

The proceeds from the raffle go to the Wimberley Village Library as they attempt to raise money for their ongoing expansion and renovation of the library.

The winner of the quilt raffle was Connie Akers while the quilt was designed and pieced by Monica Rasco and quilted by Linda Chase Hasselberg at the Wimberley Stitch Studio.

The quilt was a project Rasco had started before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. After completion, Rasco now was in need of finding a home for her new quilt.

“I took a class where we made a different square every month,’ Rasco said. “When COVID hit I ended up putting it all together. So I had made the quilt but I didn’t have anywhere to go with it. So I ended up donating the quilt to the library, so they could raise money for it.”

Being a long time member of the Wimberley Village Library, Rasco knew some good would come out of raffling off her quilt.

“I’ve worked with the Wimberley Village Library for a very long time,” Rasco said. “I was a children’s librarian years ago, and now I just volunteer. I’m also on the Board of Trustees, and I thought ‘If the quilt needs a home, this way we can raise money for the library, and that would be great.’”

The process of making the quilt was both a challenge and a great experience for Rasco.

“It took a lot of time,” Rasco said. “But it was also a lot of fun doing it… The class I took was based on Elizabeth Hartman’s Modern Patchwork. I made a lot of these squares, but these parts where I had to make up is called improv quilting… Another piece I made was a lot of work, because there are 54 little pieces, which was the hardest one I’ve done… But it was really fun, and it was a great thing to do during the pandemic. It was a great learning ex perience for me.”

“I like working with the colors and making the quilt visually work together,” Rasco continued. “I don’t know why, but it is very relaxing. I can spend hours doing this kind of stuff, which might seem like it is pointless, but it is really fun to do.”

In the end, Rasco was happy on both fronts.

“It’s great. I had a friend of mine who came in and bought 20 tickets,” Rasco said. “I’m thrilled because it’s a win-win. I know quilters who have piles of quilts that show them at shows, but I rather just give mine away because I want them to have a home. Then the library can raise money doing the raffle. The library is such a wonderful resource for this community, and I’ve seen this over and over again as I work here and help people that really need it with the free services. The fact we are going to enlarge our expansion project is going to be such a gift to this community.”

If you want to get involved with the Friends of the Village Library, visit wimberleylibrary.org.