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“You’ll never be able to quilt. You only have one hand”.  Hearing that was all the motivation Thelma Cornett needed. Her mantra is “Tell me I can’t do something, then watch me do it!” Her first handmade quilt, Grandmother’s Garden, was displayed at a local quilt show. Since that day, almost 30 years ago, Thelma has created over 80 quilts; most of them gifted to family and friends. Thelma underwent a left below-elbow amputation as a result of an industrial accident in 1981. Her limb loss did not slow her down in any way. Coming home after her surgery, she quickly returned to her life of caring for her husband and five children...and began quilting.  Her husband, Arthur, encouraged this new hobby by making her a wonderful cutting table and a quilting frame for finishing her beautiful works of art. We first met Thelma in June, 1981 soon after her amputation. It has been our joy to provide devices for her since then. Her conventional below elbow prosthesis incorporates a control cable, a triceps cuff, a wrist unit, terminal device and a figure of eight harness. Thelma quilts with her right hand and uses her left prosthetic hook to work under the quilt. She laughs that she bends a lot of needles if she doesn’t get them through the hook just right.  Her quilts are beautiful and most are for full size beds or larger. Although she sometimes machine stitches the bocks together, she does much of the quilting by hand. Thelma is a great multi-tasker…quilting one project then taking a break to piece her next design together Thelma’s positive attitude, determination and good spirits have served her well through the years. Maybe those traits come from her West Virginia upbringing; for sure from the love and devotion she shared with Arthur and their children; and now from the joy of being with her grandchildren. A quilt isn’t just a blanket or a throw. It’s a creation, a memory, a piece of the quilter. What a wonderful gift of inspiration Thelma has woven into each of her quilts. |
