Unique Stories from the Groundworks Lab
By Grace Tofte
September 8, 2025
When the library receives an email confirmation for Groundworks, we never know just what creation might result from that single appointment. The automated email stated that a patron would be using the embroidery machine on Friday, August 15, but we didn’t know why until she emailed us later to share her experience.
Sarah’s story started when her community quilting guild in Grand Rapids hosted a quilt swap. Sarah immediately had an idea: what if she made her quilt inspired by a favorite movie? After she chose the 1996 hit comedy movie That Thing You Do!* featuring the one and only Tom Hanks, Sarah got to work. She discovered Groundworks mid-project, reserved the embroidery machine for two hours and embroidered the silhouettes of the main characters*.
In an email to the Groundworks staff, Sarah said, “When I shared the story with my guild about how I did it, they wanted to know ‘what library lets you use an embroidery machine?!’ The guild is in Grand Rapids, and of course I bragged about you all. Thanks for your help and for letting me take over that machine for those couple days!”
*Check out the movie that inspired Sarah’s project! That Thing You Do!! tells the story of a 1960s teenage garage band as it becomes an overnight sensation, but internal tensions threaten to make the group's fall just as rapid as its rise.
