Members of Ripley United Church of Christ’s Soul Stitching group pictured on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, with the quilt they made for raffle as part of the inaugural “Traer Quilt Experience” set for Saturday, March 21, at several locations in Traer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

TRAER – The Ripley United Church of Christ quilters are stitching up something truly exciting (and heartwarming!) for the first full day of spring next month — the inaugural “Traer Quilt Experience: Binding Faith and Community through Patchwork, Past, Present & Future.” The event is set for Saturday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is hosted by Ripley UCC in conjunction with the Traer Historical Museum and the Traer Public Library. Keep reading for all the details.

Background

In 2006, a group of quilters from Ripley UCC came together to construct patchwork quilts for donation to charities in the local and surrounding areas, including sending 100 quilts to China in 2012. Over the past two decades, the group has lost members and gained members, but the mission has remained the same – creating patchwork quilts to warm the hearts of those in need.

In 2023, Annette Knoop became an active member of Ripley UCC again from more than 400 miles away where she resides in northern Indiana. While trying to increase awareness of the mission of those who stitch at Ripley UCC, she found stitching on a single weekday was not advantageous for those who work. Thus, the group Soul Stitching was born.

Soul Stitching currently meets the second Saturday of every month. Annette’s mother, Jane Knoop continues to organize both the weekly Thursday and Soul Stitching activities. Quilt tops are constructed from donated materials in pleasing designs and colors. The group serves programs such as Christian Hands Across Traer (C.H.A.T.), Americans for Independent Living, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Tama County Maternal Health and Wellness, and Cedar Valley Hospice.

Ripley UCC’s Becky Gaston, left, poses for a photo while donating a stack of quilts to Toni Whannel with C.H.A.T. this past Valentine’s Day. C.H.A.T. (Christian Hands Across Traer) is a nonprofit group overseen by the Traer Ministerial Association and Christian friends in the Buckingham, Clutier, Dinsdale, Geneseo, and Traer areas. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

While updating the Soul Stitching website this year, Annette told the newspaper she was reminded of a March 2023 North Tama Telegraph article announcing the group to the community. From that article came the idea for the Traer Quilt Experience…

Traer Quilt Experience

As a community-oriented congregation, outreach is vitally important to Ripley UCC, making the museum and library’s enthusiasm for cohosting the inaugural Traer Quilt Experience on March 21, all the more fitting.

During the event, Ripley UCC, located at 400 South Main Street, will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., showcasing quilts as part of the show “The Stories of those who Stitch at Ripley.” In addition to quilts made by Soul Stitching, Ripley UCC congregants have been invited to bring quilts with special stories for display as well. Attendees need not be avid quilters to enjoy the show. Those who stitch will be available to share their purpose and what it is like to be part of the group. A donation drop-off will also be available.

Children will have a special place to go during the quilt show – Ripley’s Christian ed room on the main sanctuary level where they can enjoy make-and-take activities.

A quilt won by DuLaine Miller as part of a raffle last December at the Traer Public Library that coincided with the 2025 Holiday Happenings. The quilt will be on display March 21 at the library as part of the Traer Quilt Experience. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Concessions will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., organized by the Ripley Missions Committee with support from the Traer United Methodist Church.

Representatives from C.H.A.T, Americans for Independent Living, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Tama County Maternal Health and Wellness, and Cedar Valley Hospice will also be present on Saturday to bring awareness to their programs and share stories of those who have benefited from quilt donations.

Special guest Teri Sellers, owner of Bobbins and Boards in Vinton, will be on hand as well to answer quilting questions and share information about retreat opportunities. Sellers was the long arm quilting artist for the Ripley UCC raffle quilt for which tickets are available to purchase at both Reuman’s Clothing Store in downtown Traer beginning March 1, and at Ripley UCC during the Traer Quilt Experience.

Student art, author Cherie Dargan

The Traer Historical Museum is also participating in the inaugural Traer Quilt Experience, opening its doors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Historical quilts of the community will be on display, as well as the ‘Quilt Block Coloring Experience’ which features work from select art classes at North Tama and Hudson schools.

At 1:30 p.m., author and Marshalltown native Cherie Dargan of the historical fiction series “Grandmother’s Treasures” will speak about her ties to the area and how her book series came to be. On her website, Dargan describes the books as “a little history, a little (quilt) mystery, and faith, hope, and love.”

Traer Public Library: Cynthia Drajna quilts

The Traer Public Library will be open from 10 a.m. to noon on March 21, showcasing a dozen quilts from the Cynthia Stary Drajna quilt collection on loan from her husband, Greg Drajna. Cynthia, who passed away in March 2023, was known for her quilt pattern designs as the owner of Iowa Star Quilts – a once-familiar storefront in downtown Traer. She was instrumental in starting the quilting class at the library.

Another quilt currently on display at the library was made by the Tuesday morning quilting group, Tuesday Quilters, for raffle during last December’s Holiday Happenings. DuLaine Miller won the quilt but kindly allowed the library to display it.

Miller’s quilt began as a contest back in 2014 by Cynthia. The pattern, Doctor’s Block, was inspired by the novel “Meet Me in Scotland” by Patience Griffin. Quilters at the time were invited to sew a block, sign and date it, and return it for a drawing. Linda McDermott won the original set of 20 blocks and generously donated them back to the Library.

Years later, the Tuesday Quilters rediscovered the blocks while cleaning a storage room. They assembled the quilt and, after 11 years, decided to hold a raffle in December 2025. The quilting was completed by Sheri Lesh, who had worked with Cynthia at her shop. In addition to winning the quilt, Miller also received an autographed copy of “Meet Me in Scotland.”

The Tuesday Quilters are especially grateful to the Traer Lions Club for sponsoring the Holiday Happenings raffle for which the drawing took place at the library.

Both the Cynthia Stary Drajna quilt collection and Miller’s quilt will remain on display at the library through March as part of National Quilting Month.

In addition to the quilt displays, the library is sponsoring a quilt block design contest. Participants may pick up a wooden square from the library in order to create a quilt block design using any medium. The blocks must be returned before Tuesday, March 2, in order to be on display. Library patrons will then have the opportunity to vote; the winning overall quilt block will be announced on Friday, March 20, ahead of the Traer Quilt Experience.

For more information on the Traer Quilt Experience or Ripley UCC Soul Stitching, contact Annette Knoop by email: annetteatripley@gmail.com.