Written by: Kenzie England and Lauren Tarr
Two sets of hands, one wrinkled and worn from years of work and one soft and smooth covered in chipped, bright pink nail polish. At Grandview Lake in Columbus, Indiana, senior Brittany Jacks has a unique hobby much different than others.
“I grew up on a lake with my family and no friends were around so I would spend time at my neighbors house where she taught me how to quilt,” Jacks said.
When she began quilting she was only in the fourth grade. Even though she started this hobby at such a young age, she has stuck with it ever since.
“Quilting is not something you hear about everyday which is why I think I gravitate to it so much. I’ve always liked doing things a little outside the box, rather than sticking to the norm,” Jacks said.
Two doors down, a big, blue house with a tire swing hanging from a large maple tree in the backyard lives an old, humble woman. A master quilter herself, she enjoys teaching young people about the ancient art of quilting.
“Two of the first few quilts I ever made with my neighbor, Jan, were wall quilts so now they are hanging on the walls of my bedroom at the lake house,” Jacks said.
Brittany enjoys making quilts of all types but she does have her favorites. She especially enjoys making blanket quilts and she even has one of her most recent projects as her bedspread.
“When I decide to start a new project, like the bedspread I made, I search the Internet for a template, then once I find one I like I choose a cool color scheme and head to Joann Fabrics to buy my supplies,” Jacks said.
Once Brittany begins a project there is no stopping her, especially with Jan working hard by her side.
“Quilting is not an easy process. It takes time, patience and concentration but, the feeling of accomplishment I get after finishing a project is so worth it,” Jacks said.
In Columbus, Indiana on Grandview Lake, inside a house with the windows open wide, two sets of hands hold up their latest creation to be hung upon a wall inside the big, blue house.
