Thirty years and a whole lot of stitches.
Motueka Quilting Connection cut the cake on three decades of thriving craft and firm friendship at their meeting last week.
Several of the group's original members are still involved, including founding president Margaret Baigent, who travelled from Richmond for the occasion.
The 95-year-old says the “seed was sown” within the Bernina sewing group for those who wanted to branch out a little.
Shirley Cooper, also an original member, says quilting was undergoing a resurgence at the time, combining function and beauty.
She recalls a man who attended their annual quilting exhibition “because mum needed a driver” and was blown away by the complexity and beauty of the work.
“I said, ‘What were you expecting’, and he said, ‘A bunch of old bed covers. I didn’t know it would be like an art show’.”
Fellow alumni Bev Dyke agrees. “It’s far more than just a quilt for your bed.”
The Motueka Quilting Connection's mid-year exhibition is a chance to showcase its members’ work, while also raising money for local charities.
Members estimate that more than $27,000 has been given back to the community since the group’s inception.
The group meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 9am-3pm at the Motueka band rooms on Old Wharf Road. New members are always welcome.
