A view from Ripley United Church of Christ’s choir loft balcony this past Sunday, Dec. 12 of the more than 100 quilts – laid across the back of pews – made by the church’s quilting group and slated for community donation. Jane Knoop who leads the quilting group can be seen standing among the quilts in the upper left aisle of the sanctuary. Contributed photo

Seven members of Ripley United Church of Christ’s quilting group used the colorful fruits of their labor to line the pews of their Traer sanctuary this past Sunday, Dec. 12 – on display were more than 100 handmade quilts destined for donation in the wider community.

Ripley members Jane Knoop, Ruth Calderwood, Peggy Drinovsky, Sharon Finzen, Joan Reuman, Arlene Schmidt, and Mary Ann Steffeny – as a small but mighty group of quilters – have both pieced and sewn 1,006 quilts over the last three years, according to Knoop.

On Sunday, Dec. 12 the group carefully laid out their latest crop of quilted masterpieces before sending them out into the world.

Past recipients of the quilts include Hometown Hearts which gifts quilts to North Tama Schools graduates bound for military service, Traer Food Pantry, Tama County Public Health & Home Care’s Stork’s Nest program, the Salvation Army, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Worker in Waterloo, Iowa City VA Healthcare System, House of Hope in Waterloo, the NICUs at both MercyOne and Allen Hospital, The Mayflower Community in Grinnell, Sunrise Hill Care Center, Black Hawk County Veterans Affairs, Inanda Seminary near Durban in South Africa, as well as emergency quilts for families in crisis and for the church’s own brides and newborn babies.

Included among the quilts this past Sunday was a quilt of particular significance – a stunning patchwork that was first pieced together from hundreds of tiny, mostly vintage squares of fabric in a sundry of colors by the sewing circle at Belle Plaine’s First Congregational United Church of Christ.

Members of Ripley UCC’s quilting group including Arlene Schmidt (left) and Sharon Finzen (right) work to tie off a quilt on Wednesday, Dec. 1 that was donated to their group by the now disbanded First Congregational UCC sewing circle in Belle Plaine. Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

A sewing circle that disbanded more than 10 years ago, according to Belle Plaine’s pastor at the time Reverend Kate West who is now with a congregation in Council Bluffs.

“[The group] disbanded after many of the members were no longer able to physically continue – arthritis and poor eyesight being some of the main reasons,” Rev. West said in a recent interview after learning the quilt she donated to Ripley UCC before leaving for her Council Bluffs parish was at long last completing its journey.

“I am very thankful [Belle Plaine’s First Congregational UCC] could donate the quilt and other supplies to Ripley UCC in Traer because they have a very active quilting group who support so many organizations with their work,” Rev. West further said. “It seemed like a good way to support another ministry and use our resources wisely. Ministry happened [through the quilt], just in a different way.”

Members of Ripley UCC's quilting group (pictured) complete the final work on a quilt that was first pieced together by the sewing circle at Belle Plaine's First Congregational UCC. Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Ruth Calderwood completes the final stitching on a quilt in the basement of Ripley UCC during the group’s Wednesday, Dec. 1 sewing session. Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Jane Knoop stands behind a large queen size quilt in the basement of Ripley UCC in Traer on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker