Service Sewing Group In Akron Offers Comfort With Stitches In Time

They wander into the sewing room at Firestone Park Community Center from noon to 6 p.m. each Tuesday as schedules allow.For the women (and occasional man) in the center’s Service Sewing group, quilting is a passion that complements their desire to comfort people with hand-made goods.On a recent Tuesday, sewing machines hummed as five members of the group gathered to make such stitched items as lap blankets for nursing home patients and small bags, called “pretty pockets,” to hold surgical site drains for women who have undergone breast surgery.“I’ve personally had experience with breast surgery, so I know they were a good idea,” said Janet Bryant, group leader and instructor for the center for the past seven years.Conversations never lag as the women piece together blocks and strips of fabric, making intricately designed quilts to give away.