There was a great crowd at the October Club Night, which is always nice to see. Members were reminded of our quilt exhibition to be held at Te Takere from Saturday 14th October and take them down on Saturday 28th October. The club will have a living display of quilters sitting working in the exhibition hall on Wednesdays 18th and 25th and Fridays 20th and 27th October. Up to 6 people needed to sit and sew from 10.30 – 12.30 and 12.30 – 3.00 each day. Hopefully the roster was filled up at Guild night with plenty of names. There are plentiful power points available for those who wish to take sewing machines or ladies may prefer to take along some hand sewing.
Our speaker for the evening was one of our own, Fay Davies. Fay started her talk telling us she started sewing seriously as a teenager when she would whip up a dress for the Saturday night dances – I can relate to that, and did the same myself, all those years ago.
Fay Davies telling us about her quilting journey
The purchase of a secondhand sewing machine for 25 pounds gave good service, particularly during those busy years sewing for a growing family. Quilting came later, and Fay showed us her very first quilt, a picnic quilt which is still going strong.
Fay’s first quilt
More of Kay’s beautiful quilts were held up and the story told of each one. Such as the Postage Stamp quilt sewn over several years using 1 1/2 scrap squares, which has to be seen to be believed. I for one couldn’t work in that tiny scale. And the pretty circle quilt all made from scraps.
Postage Stamp and Circle quilts
This lovely navy and white star quilt was made for Kay’s grandson when he turned 21. Such a beauty. Kay machine quilts all of her quilts, bed quilts and all, on her domestic sewing machine.
21st Birthday quilt for Kay’s grand-son
A little more Show and Tell followed from club members. Sarah had made a pretty cot quilt for her expectant step-daughter featuring the family’s two cats.
Sarah’s cot quilt
And this lovely machine applique quilt made by Frances is hanging over my own candlewick quilt in cream with raspberry pink highlights.
Show and Tell from Frances and Jenny
After the meeting everyone was most interested to check out the huge pile of machine embroidered and embellished blocks which Kay had brought along, as well as a quilt made from even more of these blocks. I can see that we may well need a class in some of these techniques.
We adjourned to the Supper Room for a cuppa, to check out the library books, and the raffles were drawn. No luck again for me, I’m sorry to say, but two lucky ladies got to take home an interesting wrapped parcel each.
Jenny Benton
