General News
13 June, 2024
Gilgandra Wednesday Quilters put up handcrafted display
A charming display has been presented by local group the Gilgandra Wednesday Patchworkers and Quilters.
A charming display has been presented by local group the Gilgandra Wednesday Patchworkers and Quilters. A collection of 31 artistic quilts designed and stitched together by members will be on display at the Coo-ee Heritage Centre. Gilgandra Wednesday Patchworkers and Quilters (Wednesday Quilters) are a long-running group made up entirely of local women with an interest in quilting. Members come from all around town, from all walks of life. The group has been meeting every Wednesday for more than 30 years.
Every two years, the Wednesday Quilters aim to exhibit their works for the public to enjoy. The last exhibition was cut short due to COVID-19, and the group is eager to make up for lost time. Stitching even a single quilt can be a tremendous undertaking of time and effort, according to Wednesday Quilters member Alison Thomas. “[It can] vary depending on if they are machine pieced or hand pieced. Hand pieced quilts can take hundreds of hours,” she said. As an example, Alison pointed out one piece hand quilted by a fellow member. According to her, it took over 300 hours of work to complete. “It really depends on the complexity of a piece,” she said.
A large part of what the Wednesday Quilters do is charity-oriented work. Members take pride in their gift quilts, stitched together and donated to members of the community who are in need. “Our quilts mainly go to people we hear in the community are not well. We’ve done lots of those,” Alison said. Alison was sure to thank the partners of members who put together displays and stands for the quilts. “I’d also like to thank a local welding tradesman who was so much help on such short notice. Thank you,” she said. She also thanked Gilgandra Shire Council for providing the Coo-ee Heritage Centre as a venue for their display. “We’re lucky to have the space and the opportunity, us and the town. We feel privileged to be able to use it. We want people to have a good time. Feel free to come and have a look.”
