BAILEY, Colo. -- A quilt made in memory of the Platte Canyon High School tragedy is now hanging in the school’s library.

It was designed and made by the students themselves.

It's an impressive sight -- it stretches eight feet wide and more than nine feet long. It features lots of Platte Canyon blue and other cheerful colors like yellow and orange.

Mika, a senior at Platte Canyon, said, "We didn't want something that was too depressing or gloomy."

At the center of the quilt is a pink heart in memory of Emily Keyes, the student who lost her life during the tragedy last September. Pink was Emily's favorite color and represents her desire to be an organ donor.

Surrounding the pink heart is another heart embroidered with the names of her mother, father, and twin brother.

Outside the two hearts is a circle of six brightly colored pieces of fabric, each representing one of the hostages.

There are also rays of sunshine. The 24 points of the sunburst symbolize the students in the classroom that fateful day.

Teacher Sandra Smith came up with the idea, hoping the hands-on experience would help her students heal.

"It's an opportunity to create something lasting, memorable, and beautiful from something that was so ugly," Smith said.

The students started the quilt in January. The Great American Quilt Factory in Denver donated fabric, supplies, and know-how.

Nancy Smith, with the store, said, "It's a gift. There are so many things that happen like this and you start wondering, 'What can I do?' They gave us the opportunity to help."

By April the project was ready to be woven into a true quilt. Great American Quilt Factory employee Sandi Fruehling donated more than 60 hours of her time. She used her long-arm quilting machine in her basement to add the finishing touches.

"I think this is going to go a long way toward their healing process, so I wanted to be able to do this for them," said Fruehling.

On April 30, the finished quilt was unveiled at Platte Canyon High. Special Education Assistant Retha Applegate said, "When we saw it, the staff and the kids cried."

"When we unveiled it, it was pretty overwhelming, and it was pretty emotional," said Principal Bryan Krause.

Nearly 500 students, teachers, and staff members signed the quilt. While it marks a tragedy, and honors a fallen classmate, it also reminds everyone in Bailey that their strength lies in their community.

One student who helped with the project said, "It's not a one-person quilt, it's like we all went through it together and the quilt is unifying us."

Chelsea, a Platte Canyon junior, said, "We're kind of like a family now and it's something we all wanted to do together."

Emily Keyes father called the quilt "simply stunning. It's a wonderful tribute and its beauty is somehow a positive reminder."