BY RITA McINERNEY

Staff Writer

ATLANTA--A tradition dear to many women, creating quilts to mark remarkable events in family and community life, prompted a quartet at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church to use their skills for a series of wall quilts marking church liturgical seasons.

The first quilt to be hung in the church reception area was for Advent, 1994. Throughout 1995, a new quilt was unveiled for each new church season. Sometimes the stitchers, Leslie Boss, Jan Burdette, Colette Hiddings and Carol Homrich, raced the calendar to finish the piece for the next cycle.

They started their project in summer, 1994, according to Ms. Boss. "We did them in the order of the seasons, working steadily and getting them done in time..." Self-described as "very stubborn," she admits that she "had this vision and pushed hard for the series."

An information sheet drawn up for greeters who are often asked about the quilts gives some details. The Advent quilt is a traditional star with radiating points. The main color, blue, helps turn the viewers' thoughts to the mother of the awaited Christ Child.

The Christmas quilt contains a number of traditional star patterns in reds and greens. Holly leaves are quilted into the deep green background.

The quilt for Winter Ordinary Time uses a pine tree pattern, appropriate for wintertime in Georgia, while the hanging for Lent combines five shades of purple with an old Amish pattern. The impression of multiple dimensions is achieved, reflecting the simplicity and complexity of the 40 days.

The Easter quilt blooms with tulips in a palette of spring shades, while the piece for Summer Ordinary Time, longest of the liturgical seasons, reproduces the flowers of the season joined by a ribbon of green.

All quilts are made of cotton, the "tops" machine pieced and the layers hand quilted together.

Each hanging is approximately 75 inches long by 40 inches high. The wooden fixture on which to hang them was made by Dick Hidding.

Mary Smith, head of IHM greeting committee, says the quilts "bring her joy." And they are "a real icebreaker" with visitors and people interested in joining the parish .

"Often it's the first thing they do, go and look at the quilt. Then they ask questions," she finds. "The quilts have a way of drawing people in."