By DEBORAH GERTZ HUSAR
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
KINDERHOOK, Ill.
Annabel Blackorby lined up her rotary cutter and sliced colorful fabric into strips.
The small pieces of fabric will have a big impact on people Blackorby likely will never meet but still wants to help.
She's part of the Sew and Sews group, based at the House of Prayer in Kinderhook. Sew and Sews turns donated fabric into warm covers for people living in need in Appalachia.
Blackorby understands more than most the importance of a simple thing like bedding after fire claimed her home years ago.
"I know what it means not to have a blanket," she said. "If I can help somebody else be warm, I'll take advantage of the opportunity to repay our help."
The buzz of conversation rises above the hum of sewing machines in the church every Thursday as the women cut, sew and tack the projects. Shirley Kingery worked on hands and knees laying out a quilt top on the floor, moving pieces to fit the pattern, while Emily Swartz waited to sew them together.
"It's going to be colorful," Swartz said.
The church already donates clothes, toys and other items for Appalachian families through an effort spearheaded by the Rev. Robert M. Stone, who delivers the items to three communities -- Bradshaw, W.Va., Booneville, Ky., and Bandy, Va.
"We told him we'd make these comforts. They're comforts, not quilts. We tack them," Kingery said. "One lady is making teddy bears, stuffed bears and gingerbread men. We're thinking we'll do some other side things to keep from getting stir-crazy on quilts."
House of Prayer member Annabelle Rhoads launched the project in March with help from Kingery and Joyce Riggs. Her sister Bertha Mixer was moving to Quincy and gave Rhoads nine boxes of double-knit polyester material.
"This is such a good project," Riggs said. "I love it."
So far, the group -- with members from Kinderhook, Barry, Pittsfield, Florence and Quincy -- has made 40 large comforters, up to king-size, and seven child-sized ones in all color combinations, averaging one or two a day.
"We try to make them pretty," Rhoads said.
Some of the women, like Blackorby, belong to other churches but come nearly every week to help.
"It's a God thing," said Pat Cook, whose husband, Robert, is pastor of the House of Prayer. "We're a little church, but it's amazing how much gets done."
Using a quick pattern supplied by Riggs, "it doesn't take as long to put a top together," said Kingery, who finished two quilts started by her late mother and got hooked. Other "shortcuts" -- from using a rotary cutter on the fabric and tacking, not quilting, the finished tops to turning the edges instead of binding -- make the projects go faster.
Sheets are used to back the tops.
"We go to outreaches, yard sales, and look through our own drawers to come up with backing," Kingery said.
Donations, including help from the Hickory Stick and other churches, allow the project to continue.
"People are giving us good stuff, beautiful polyester/cotton new fabric, boxes of it," Kingery said.
"When I start being a little discouraged about the way things are going, in comes more material. It's God saying to keep going."
-- dhusar@whig.com/221-3379
