Month: June 2024

Thanks must go to the generosity of Deborah Jarman, who had again kindly invited us to celebrate our Summer Social at her home at Great Wacton. Thank you very much Deborah.

The weather Gods were kind enabling a group of twelve members to sit in the garden where we could listen to the pheasants calling and watch the corvids (members of the crow family) flying around overhead.

A bring and share supper had been provided by members with a wonderful selection of mouth watering food to suit every palate.

As we sat around talking and laughing a vision popped into my head of a campfire and the strains of Ging Gang Gooley wafting around in the ether.

I think everyone would agree, what better way to spend a summer evening than laughing and chatting with friends. It was certainly good for the soul.

Leominster Quilters had agreed to take part in the Threads Through Creation exhibition at Leominster Priory.

The Saturday of the Big Stitch up Day was rather cold and dull but inside the Priory brightness and cheerfulness was all around with beautiful coloured quilts and wall hangings everywhere.

Several members had embraced the challenge of making an A4 quilt entitled “Creation” and these were on view thanks to the hard work of Debbie Cottam who had set up the display.

During the day several members spent one or two hours at the Priory sewing EPP (English Paper Piecing) hexagons which could eventually be turned into a lap quilt to be donated to Leominster Dementia Group.

Members’ efforts attracted considerable interest by passing visitors who stopped to chat and we were able to explain the process of making and joining the hexagons and invite them to ‘have a go’. Some visitors eagerly accepted the offer whilst others needed a little gentle persuasion and encouragement but they agreed it was very relaxing and something that could be done whilst watching television. It was rewarding to hear some say they would try and sew some at home.

All in all it was a very successful and rewarding day and we may even have made a few converts to EPP.

We are thrilled to say that many of our members make little baby quilts for the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at Hereford Hospital. This is a project that started in 2017, with almost 3000 quilts being donated to the hospital to date, and new ones being made all the time.
The quilts are just 20″ x 16″ / 508mm x 406mm, made of quilting cotton fabric with pure cotton batting.
One member said she loves making these little quilts; choosing beautiful materials, often to complement ones already in the never ending stash, and then putting them together as a little splash of joy. They are also a super way of practising different techniques, maybe setting off on free motion quilting (fmq) for the first time, adding bindings and perfecting all those little magic tricks that become so much more achievable in a nice, manageable sized piece.
And then just imagine where they are going and how they will be used. One member gathers them all up and takes them to the hospital, and then Mums and Dads in the special care baby unit can choose from the quilts – they get to pick exactly what they like, and that little quilt stays with their baby whilst in hospital and goes home with them too. What a lovely story and what a fun project to be a part of! Hopefully there will be many more photos here soon to inspire you.