BELLA VISTA, Ark. — Andrew Lee, "the Combat Quilter", served ten years of active duty for the army and has served in the Tennessee National Guard for twelve years now. His interest in creating quilts came from a unique start.
"My wife said we didn't do enough together. We're remodeling a house, visiting the in-laws, go out to dinner... I found a quilted table runner class, I took it, and didn't realize the therapeutic value that that was going to offer," Lee said.
He creates all different kinds of quilts from lap blankets, dog beds, adult bibs, and purses. On Oct. 23, Lee presented to members of the Calico Cut-Ups Quilt Guild in Bella Vista to speak about how his journey with quilting has improved his mental health. The Calico Cut-ups Quilt Guild in Bella Vista has been an organization for thirty years with 140 members who participate in all sorts of philanthropic quilt projects. Throughout the presentation, he honored a veteran with a Quilt of Valor.
"Quilts of Valor is a wonderful program that is a national program and actually has specific requirements to give veterans that have served a quilt in honor of their service," said Deb West, the vice president of Calico Cut-ups Quilt Guild.
Lee's coping mechanism through quilting can be very different from other people with PTSD.
"Most people try gardening, or woodworking is the number one male hobby they do after they get out of the service with PTSD. And so there's a Kentucky captain who did a study with Walter Reed [Medical Center], and they found out that those individuals who have a hobby have something that they physically can touch afterward, which gives that individual a 67% chance greater of surviving life as a whole, let alone adversity," Lee explained.
Seven years later, Lee created over 500 quilts and aims to put out a new quilt every three to four days. He says the process is healing and therapeutic, which is why he hopes to encourage more veterans to participate.
"It's a method that allows me to be, you know, not in an institution somewhere because I know that the struggles and triggers that my brain has—that despite whatever drug the Army tried to give us early on as a band-aid just didn't work. And this therapeutic asset really has helped me be not only who I am, but also tried to help other people," Lee said.
West said that Lee is not only an inspiration for quilters but for veterans as well. "I know that suicide among veterans is a very large concern and anything that we can find to help create an outlet and let people enjoy and find love and support and a way to work through those feelings."
Lee also spoke to the Belle Point Quilters Guild on Monday night at the Fort Smith Senior Activity Center.
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