Show Time

The long awaited show day finally arrived.  Several bus loads of excited ladies from other clubs turned up to check out the quilts, hoping to buy  one of the winning raffle tickets no doubt, and enjoy some morning tea in the café.

With about 200 quilts on show, there was plenty to see, and something for everyone.  Our two guest exhibitors also had amazing quilts on show.

Girls in the Garden, by Griet Lombard

We wandered up and down the rows, checked out the many merchants, stopped and chatted to friends and had a great time.  I’ve always admired Plus quilts, and hope to make one of my own one day.

Positivity, by Paula Shailer

The Club Challenge was a little different this year.  Instead of a common fabric being used, the exhibitors were given small foam rubber shapes for inspiration, and had to use these designs in their quilts. 

Club Challenge quilts

This cute little scarecrow got my vote for the challenge

We had a most welcome sit down in the café and enjoyed a delicious sandwich and scone for lunch.  Then another quick look around before we left.  Congratulations to all involved for all the hard work in organizing and running the show.

Jenny Benton

October Club Night

What a surprise on entering the hall on Club Night to find the wooden forms had been replaced with softly upholstered chairs.  Due to travels and other commitments I had missed several monthly meetings, but can confirm how comfy the new seats are. 

Erilyn McMillan from Palmerston North was the guest speaker, and what a delightful lady she was.  Well known for her War series of quilts, she described each one in detail, relating background stories from her extensive research. 

The story behind the red and white quilt was particularly sobering.  On a visit to Gallipoli she was told “the blood of 10 thousand men flowed here”.  On her return home she felt she just had to to make a quilt to commemorate those Anzacs who had perished their.  The brown and gold quilt honours the many animals who served and lost their lives in the Desert Campaign.

Last Post was the first war quilt Erilyn made, and started her on the journey of her War quilt series. 

And for something completely different but still war related was the  beautiful intricate  quilting done using the train from Erilyn’s grandmother’s wedding dress.  She was a war bride, and moved  with her new husband to a far away country on the other side of the world, here to New Zealand. 

It was a wonderful informative talk, and the club members were very keen to get up close to the quilts and check out the stunning details.

The meeting concluded with supper and drawing the raffles – and lucky me, at long last my number was called, so I got to take a lovely squishy parcel home.

Jenny Benton