Buzzing sewing machines and the sounds of fabric being ripped and cut mixes with the chatter of daily topics in a room where a group of retired women come together to sew for love.
The walls contain pictures, posters and notes with Bible verses that echo that loving motivation.
But the ultimate testimony to how these women do everything in love is them taking time to sew for people in need.
Now expanded into two rooms, one for fabric and the other for sewing, Sewing to Share is a group of retired women at Trevecca Towers who use their beloved craft to help charity and missions.
The group came together in 2008. The women began filling requests to make quilts for an African school for young girls. The quilts were followed by baby blankets for orphaned children in China.
The group then found their work so needed that they expanded into a full-time mission of sewing for hope and love.
Other beneficiaries of the group include the Veteran’s Administration, Nashville Rescue Mission, nursing homes and other charities.
Pearl Kidwell, who has lived in the towers for 10 years, spearheads the group. When she began the group, the women made use of leftover fabric.
“We started making quilts, and no money was involved. Everything was volunteer. We took scraps and made beautiful quilts,” Kidwell said.
“Since that time, we’ve made quilts for different organizations. We can’t make up our mind which ones we want to do.”
Kidwell doesn’t sew alone. Grace Hall moved into the towers a little more than three years ago and enlisted in the project.
“I’d always wanted to belong to some sort of quilting club,” Hall said.
After hearing from Kidwell about how the group sews for various charities, Hall said it seemed “right up my alley.”
Ada Pope joined the group a bit differently.
“One day, I just walked in the sewing room, and I told the ladies I would like to see what they were doing.
“Pearl handed me a pair of scissors and showed me where all the fabric was, and she taught me how to quilt and make dolls clothes,” Pope said.
“It’s been great.” Kidwell said about working with Sewing to Share. “It just gets in your blood and you keep sewing.”
If you’re looking for information or an opportunity to help, email Pearl Kidwell at sewingtoshare@gmail.com
Pearl Kidwell is the grandmother of the author, Whitney Jarreld.