Fundraiser set for quilters club

GRAB a gift and give back to the community at the Uniting Threads Quilt Group’s fundraiser next Saturday, 4 December.

The volunteer-run initiative’s 30 members meet weekly to make quilts for local nursing homes, aged care centres, women’s refuges and children’s organisations, and money raised at the upcoming stall will go towards covering the cost of materials needed to keep up operations.

Member, Meryl Close, said it had been a busy year of quilting for the group as COVID-19 lockdowns allowed for more time at the machine.

“We’ve made over 200 this year which is our record,” she said.

The self-taught quilter, who has been perfecting the craft for most of her life, said volunteers wanted to give back the best way they knew how.

“We enjoy doing it and it’s a way of helping the community by using our skills,” she said.

While most of the group’s fabric is donated by members of the public, Ms Close said machine servicing and items like, wadding, scissors and cotton still needed to be funded.

“Normally, once a year, we have an open house with a stall and we raise money but during COVID we haven’t been able to do that,” she said.

Chock-full of handmade goodies, the stall will stock tote bags, tea towels, quilted children’s books, pincushions, homewares and more. Raffle tickets will also be sold for the chance to win a large quilt, table runner and cushions.

To make a purchase, head to St Andrew’s Uniting Church at 26 Myers Street from 9am to 1pm.