Quilters patch their way to grandest exhibition yet

MEMBERS of Bendigo and District Quilters (BADQ) group are as busy as bees preparing for their biggest biennial exhibition ever, with 120-plus quilts due to be hung at next weekend’s Craft Alive event at Bendigo Showgrounds.

This is the first year the group will be partnering and exhibiting with Craft Alive after outgrowing its traditional Saint Andrew’s Uniting Church Hall digs.

BADQ member Jane Leahy said it’s a big step for the quilting devotees.

“We have always held our quilt shows at St Andrew’s Hall but we were finding issues with space and cost and access with parking,” she said.

“Craft Alive, which is a craft event with retailers selling craft supplies, kits and equipment, they offered us the space, which is double what we’ve had before.

“So, we’ll be able to hang all the quilts up that we want to with much better effect and they’re helping to build the set so that we can do so easily.

“There’s going to be an amazing display of quilts, quite unique, some of them quite amazing – they’re artworks, some of them.”

Leahy said the group is wrapt to be working with Craft Alive.

“They’ve been wonderful and we hope it turns out to be enjoyable for everybody.”

As many as 60 BADQ members meet every Thursday at the Long Gully Community Centre in Havilah Road.

“We have all Thursday there from 10 in the morning till 8 or 9 at night so that working ladies can come along,” Leahy explained. “We do all sorts of patchwork, quilt making and many other sorts of crafts as well, knitting and sewing and crochet and embroidery, so there’s a range of activities.

“We have workshops, guest tutors and a show and tell every week where people show what they’ve been working on, which is very inspiring.

“We enjoy getting together and learning from each other, it’s a very productive, happy sort of environment.”

Craft Alive takes place at the Bendigo Showgrounds from Thursday 11 June to Saturday 13 June.

Tickets can be purchased on the Craft Alive website.