The Louisville Nimble Thimbles is a non-profit quilting guild that's been sewing and serving the community since 1979.

It began when a group of women in Louisville taking a quilting class together decided to continue meeting once the class ended.

The group grew and expanded beyond simply quilting together to include education, historical preservation, and charity work.

Let's meet the Nimble Thimbles.

[music playing] Nimble Thimbles is a community organization that promotes quilt making.

They're very active in the community.

There are a lot of community-based projects.

We also hold a lot of classes and workshops.

And it's just a place where you can come and learn more about quilting and be involved with other people with the same interest.

How are we coming with our [activity]?

I've draft this out at home on graft paper.

It's something that you can do at home by yourself or something you can do within a group.

It is very relaxing.

Just the hands-on, the repetitive process of sewing can be very soothing.

And so, people are just drawn to something of that nature.

And I think, you know -- and women of all ages.

I mean, I started out doing this when I was a teenager and have been involved in quilting in some way all my life.

We see the full spectrum here in our guild, everybody.

We have artists.

We have craftspeople.

We have people who treat it as a hobby.

And that's one thing about quilters, that they're very friendly and inviting and supportive.

And they're always wanting to welcome new people in, whether you're an experienced quilter or whether you have less experience, or even if you like quilts and have never made a quilt, and you're thinking about quilting, we'll welcome you in.

It's just that common thread that we all can connect with.

I think most people would be absolutely stunned to learn that quilting is a six billion with a B industry.

And that includes shops and shows and classes and fabrics and books and magazines.

And it is just booming.

Quilting is a very American art form, but Kentucky really takes it and makes it quilting its own.

And the reason I say that is we do see periods where there are very Kentucky-centric styles where women were really taking it and making it their own and really communicating with one another, being inspired by one another.

And quilting has really been at the heart of Kentucky culture for over 200 years now.

And Kentucky was really at the center of this 1980s quilting revival.

And Kentuckians have had a huge impact and have really influenced the national quilt world.

Erica, [crosstalk] Mary Kate, Billy, Isabelle.

The impact of the Nimble Thimbles has been very significant in this community.

When it was formed in the late ‘70s and early '80s, that's still a time when women are looking to connect.

You have people who are still working in the home, some people who are seeking out full-time careers.

But quilting was a way for these women to find each other and men as well, and find each other and connect around this common interest, which is quilting, and to really help promote the benefits of quilting, why people quilt, why quilting matters.

And we have had an impact in the community through all of our community projects as well.

Here at Nimble Thimbles, we have several charity projects.

We make a five patriot quilts a year and present to veterans.

We do quilt registries and documentation.

We make cuddle care quilts for Norton Children's Hospital.

And those patients range in age from newborns to 18 years old.

And in order to be eligible for one of our fine quilts, you have to have spent an overnight at the hospital.

Last year, Cuddle Care provided 720 quilts to Kosair Children's Hospital.

We also provide tote bags to Maryhurst.

And Maryhurst is a residential facility for girls ages 6 to 18, who have been living in an unsafe and maybe abusive home situation.

In 1980, the director of Maryhurst actually called the Louisville Nimble Thimbles and asked the president if she would consider making tote bags.

When they would go to visit family on weekends, they were taking their clothing home in plastic bags.

But now, they have their own personal tote bag, fabric tote bag that was made by members of Nimble Thimbles to take their things home.

And that will stick with them, that somebody cared enough to make this bag so that they had something proper to take their belongings in.

I think that's just the nature of quilt makers.

They're givers.

They're nurturers.

And we had the capability, we had the time, and we wanted to make a difference.

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