MIDLAND, Texas — Every stitch has a meaning for the Combat Quilter.
"My favorite quilt was the Quilt of Valor I awarded. I awarded to a 93-year-old World War II veteran whom during the ceremony he said that he did not deserve it," said professional quilter Andrew Lee. "During that process and conversation, it turns out he walked in the Normandy, didn’t ride in tank or Jeep or jump out of an airplane, but he walked. If he doesn’t deserve a quilt neither does anybody else.”
Lee served 10 years in the army and is currently with the Tennessee National Guard. But he is also a professional quilter.
“What I didn't realize was the therapeutic value that quilting has the mindless if you will, repetitive nature, the hum of the machine all of that allowed me to separate myself from the realistic PTSD issues and triggers that I have,” Lee said.
Lee has been quilting for nearly eight years, making a total of 519 quilts for veterans, a few for his friends and family, and some just for himself.
“My Iwo Jima quilts, and my 911 quilt are obviously what I use as my therapeutic value to combat my PTSD and then allow it to be shown to other people to see that this is my outlet,” Lee said.
When he is not mastering his own craft, he encourages those around him to find their own release.
“Take the chance to take the leap of faith and jump out there and try something woodworking, painting, drawing coloring, something that you do with your hands, it's different, doesn't matter if it's anything that you not normally would do. Try it," Lee said. "You never know what therapeutic value or accomplishment you're going to feel from that new hobby that you could gain a lot of mental health.”
The Midland Quilters Guild takes that exact advice.
“I think that's what held me back in the beginning is what are people going to say when they look at, you're at something you know, and it's just like, just try something different and as long as you enjoy it, that should be the goal,” said President of the Midland Quilters Guild Rachel Garibay.
Their time with the Combat Quilter has been a great experience.
“We've watched his page and on Facebook and I've heard about him for quite a while," Garibay said. "And so, we were just so thrilled that we were able to get him to come here and teach us. Especially to bring these quilts that we see in person because they're amazing to look at in a picture on Facebook, but to see them in person is just amazing.”
Quilting for this group of Midlanders brings a great sense of accomplishment and joy, and that is something everyone deserves to feel.