Quilters share fun and skills

By Cindy Toopes, Courier staff writer

May 31, 2009 10:59 pm

— OTTUMWA — I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t enjoy a quilt at some point during our four seasons in southeast Iowa.
Winter is the most popular time, I’m sure. A quilt or a lap robe is wonderful for staying warm while you’re watching TV or working at your computer and the thermostat is at 68 degrees.
What I like even more than quilts are the quilt makers. May the good Lord bless each one many times.
Recently Jim Leichty invited me to meet the Y Women, who work on quilts every Wednesday at Julia’s (Jim’s restaurant), 529 W. Main St. After the YWCA closed, he offered the women a work area at one end of his dining room.
Sitting at a two-seater table were Barbara Grindle and Betty Black. Working at a long table near the two-seater were Kathleen Lawson, Helen Luke, Ruth Stocker, Donna Rae Stevens, Francine Lawrence, Shirley Luke and Jane Smith.
That Wednesday was particularly special because the women had invited Agency Fire Chief Mike Holcomb to pick up some quilts to give to fire victims.
“How many would you like?” Jane said.
“Could I have five?” he said.
Jane smiled, gathered up five quilts off the end of the work table and handed them to Mike.
“In January we had a fire at 2 a.m. It was a rental place and a total loss,” he said. “I had to tell them they couldn’t stay there and I gave away a couple of quilts that night.”
Getting warm quilts in a tough situation like that seems like “the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “The quilts look nice and the ladies put their hearts and souls into these.”
Barbara said the women had been making quilts since before the YWCA closed.
“Way too long to remember,” Betty said. “The first batch we did at the YW was baby blankets.”
Their quilts have also been given to patients at Children’s Blank Memorial Hospital, Hospice, all the Veterans Administration hospitals, all the nursing homes, the Red Cross, the Homeless Center (twin-sized quilts) and the Crisis Center.
“Since September 2005, we’ve given away 291 quilts,” Barbara added.
Jim enjoys having “the ladies” around.
“They’re good ladies working for a good cause,” he said. “They chat, exchange pictures and talk about their families. They also bring in things like rhubarb and gooseberry pies. They’re a good group.”
The Y Women quilt for free and buy their own material. They also make napkins and lap robes.
Most likely Jane spoke for all the women when she said, “I love sewing.” She started at age 3 when she learned to embroider.
I commend all the Y Women for using their talents to help others. I’m somewhat envious of their skills but I’ve had the chance to learn. Darn near flunked sewing when I attended Evans Junior High.
In my later years, I managed to sew buttons back on my clothing all by myself and to make a few leather pouches. But, that’s it, folks. If the truth’s known, I think I’m allergic to sewing.
If my mother and Mrs. Onerheim were in town, they could testify. Between the two of them, I escaped flunking the needle and thread portion of home economics.
In the cooking portion of that class, I did much better and earned a B. To find a witness for that, all I have to do is look at my waistline!
Cindy Toopes can be reached at (641) 683-5376 or via e-mail at cindy@ottumwacourier.com.