She's got quilting sewed up

Betty Frezon chuckles at the oft-heard remark, admitting that's exactly how she spends her free time. But in the case of the senior citizen's latest quilt, the "little pieces of fabric" depict something very special: the angel atop the steeple of her parish, historic St. Mary's in Albany.

Though they're Rensselaer residents now, the Frezons have close ties to Albany. Mrs. Frezon grew up there, her family often pitching in on behalf of the cloistered Dominican monastery once located near St. Peter's Hospital. Her mother was a graduate of St. Mary's parish school, and her parents wed at St. Mary's in 1917.

Angelic presence

Of course, she never knew she would create a quilt of that angel -- even after her daughter, Mary Beth, took up quilting in 1977 and became a nationally recognized quilter. A lifelong seamstress, Mrs. Frezon just didn't want to try quilting.

"Mary Beth kept after me," she remembered. "She'd say, `Mom, you would love this.' I said, `All those little pieces? I don't think so!'"

First attempt

Working on the "log cabin" design, Mrs. Frezon was immediately hooked. "You accomplish this great end product when you're done!" she said.

She joined a quilting group in Castleton, churning out as many as 35 "care quilts" a year with fellow members to give to the needy. She has made quilts for relatives and donated them to various charities. She has even sparked grandchildren Kate, 13, and Andy, 9, to become avid quilters themselves. (Andy's latest creation features Pokemon.)

Favorite design

"It took three years, working on and off," she said. "For me, that's a long time. I can usually finish a quilt in three months or so!"

To create the quilt, she first tried taking photos of the steeple at St. Mary's, but the angel was too distant to use as a pattern. Then the parish put a photo of the angel on its bulletin for its 200th anniversary -- and Mrs. Frezon had what she needed.

Getting to work

Audrey passed away before she got to see the finished quilt, a teal angel on a white, cloud-patterned background. The quilt is machine-edged but otherwise entirely hand-sewn.

Mrs. Frezon brought the quilt to St. Mary's for her pastor, Rev. James Lefebvre, to see. "He was very pleased," she said modestly.

The angel quilt will be featured in the "NY Quilts" show on June 3-4 at Russell Sage College in Troy. While the quilter admitted that she hopes her creation will win a prize, she added, "It will be my favorite whether it wins or not."

And while she's given away countless quilts, the angel will return to a place of honor in her home after the show. "I don't think I can part with this one," she said.

(For information about the NY Quilts show, call 766-6279, or go to www.nyquilts.org.)

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