QuiltNSW Events & Activities

Calendar

See the QuiltNSW Calendar for a comprehensive listing of QuiltNSW activities and events.

Community Quilts

Since 1983 Community Quilts has been making and donating quilts on behalf of QuiltNSW. It is a voluntary project where members meet to sew quilts for the community and to date over 3,300 quilts have been donated. Our aim is to encourage a more homely atmosphere for others.

On-going commitments are to Royal Far West Children’s Home in Manly and to foster children in NSW. Quilts are also donated to various nursing homes, several refuges such as Street Kids and Baptist Church Inner City Refuge and for raffles to raise money for community organisations.

All quilt tops are made prior to meetings and the quilts are pinned and machine quilted on sewing days which are held monthly. No hand sewing is done due to the ‘utility’ style of the quilts. The quilts require only basic, straight line quilting so no expert knowledge is required. Pinners and machine quilters are warmly welcomed on sewing days.

Members who are unable to attend sewing days but would like to participate in Community Quilts are encouraged to take quilts home to machine quilt. They are single size and not difficult to handle on a domestic machine.
Roslyn Moules, Community Quilts Co-ordinator, may be contacted through the QuiltNSW office.

External Events

QuiltNSW has information booths at various events throughout the year. We are open to having a presence at events, including our Quilt Hoop Display installation – if you are interested in having us at your event, please contact Margy Syrett through the QuiltNSW office by emailing office@quiltnsw.com

Friday Showcase

Friday showcase is an informal but informative meeting held quarterly IN THE QUILTNSW OFFICE, LEVEL 5, 276 PITT STREET, SYDNEY 

The small charge of $5 members and $10 visitors must be paid at the door.  Please bring the exact amount.  COVID safe conditions for attending Friday Showcase. The guild office will open at 10 am for members and visitors wishing to drop their bags, library books, community quilts to the office.

• Bring a mask to wear when mingling to look at the quilts at the end of the presentation
• It is not expected that there will be any refreshments offered in the office before or after the Showcase.
  (There is a very nice café at street level below the office)
• The office will be closed while the showcase is underway and will then reopen at the conclusion of the showcase for the changeover of the quilts hanging.
• Some of the above conditions may change at short notice.
• See the Calendar for the proposed Speakers

General Meeting

We are pleased to announce that QuiltNSW is returning to:

Club Burwood RSL, 96 Shaftesbury Road Burwood, for our General Meetings.

QuiltNSW Annual General Meeting, Saturday 18th November 2023

QuiltNSW members and their guests are invited to come along to this year’s Annual General Meeting on Saturday 18th November at Club Burwood RSL, 96 Shaftesbury Road Burwood, the rooms will open around 9.45am with the meeting starting around 10.30am.

QuiltNSW committee will be elected at the AGM, please consider how you can assist the Guild in the next 12 months to continue its success. There are plenty of varied roles that are needed to make the Guild run, there is sure to be something that you could help with while enjoying the experience. Being involved is a great way to meet new likeminded members and learn about the work that QuiltNSW does. 

The meeting will include load of fun and variety too.

Rachel Porter of Stitches and Sew On will be our guest shop at November’s meeting, many of you will have seen her at this year’s exhibition. Rachael runs an online shop from NSW Central Coast. Rachael has been quilt designing and teaching for over 10 years. Stitches and Sew On reflects Rachael’s love of English Paper Piecing, applique and fussy cutting. Her shop is full of beautiful pretties and reproductions, as well as gorgeous must haves like the Liberty Cubes and Mini Vintage Cases. Rachael carries lovely threads, patterns, templates and everything you need or desire for your EPP projects.  Check out her website to see for yourself.

The colourful Sallianne McClelland from The Apron Project will also be at our meeting. Sallianne will bring some of the artistically decorated aprons for us to see and will talk to us about the Apron Project.  We will learn how the Apron Project works, how to help and the good that the project does in the community.  Sallianne will also bring along a few undecorated aprons for us to purchase and decorate to help with her work raising awareness of domestic violence.  

The Sydney Modern Quilt Group will unveil the 2024 raffle quilt and share with us how it was made. We will have the opportunity to see the quilt up close and to talk to Anita Brown and her group about it.  

If all that is not enough, we will also hear some stories from some our talented prize winning members about their quilting journey and the making of their quilts that won prizes at the 2023 Exhibition.

I hope you will come along and join in the fun. Bring you hand sewing along as we don’t need to rush off as the room is booked until 3.30pm which will give you a chance to sit n sew while you catch up friends and the new Committee.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at our Annual General Meeting.

Kathy Lester

Meeting Coordinator

If you have any suggestions for guest speakers or demonstrators, email Meeting Coordinator Kathy Lester.

QuiltNSW travels from the city to the country for a meetings when possible. It is a great opportunity to meet QuiltNSW members around the state as we visit member groups along the way.  

Pop Up Sewing Days

An opportunity for members to stitch together while working on their own project. These ‘days’ are often held in fabric stores all over Sydney and now, extending to our regional areas, on different days of the week to fit into the schedule. The days usually start around 10am. Numbers are limited so it is essential that you reserve your place. Morning Tea and a lucky door prize are usually included.

Not only are these days a lovely way to spend your time but they are a FREE event for individual financial members only.

For the most part, we hold our Pop Up Sewing Days in patchwork stores.  If you are a store owner and would like to host a pop up sewing day in your store, please email us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Jenny Chapman, Pop Up Sewing Day Coordinator

Pop Up Sewing Day

Venue: Thread Botanica, 16A Bowral Road, Mittagong

Date: Saturday 21 October

Time: 10.00am – 3.00pm

Sally has kindly offered to provide morning tea for members. Please note, it will be hand sewing only on the day. Lunch is available from various venues close by, or you may bring  your own. Parking – there is a car park at the back of Mitre 10 or parking is available on either of the side streets adjacent to the shop. Some car parks are also available at the rear of the shop. If you wish to come along and participate in a fun day and maybe win a lucky door voucher to spend in-house, courtesy of Quilt NSW, as  well as meeting other Quilt NSW members, please book asap as numbers are limited.

 

QuiltNSW Retreat

• All accommodation is accessible (on the ground floor or by lift) with each room having its own ensuite. Rooms are single or twin. 
• The sewing room has good natural and artificial light. There is no set time for use of the room so early birds and night owls are all catered for! 
• Home cooked meals are prepared onsite. Special medical dietary requirements are catered for. 
• You may work on any project/s of your choosing, hand or machine. 
• Non-sewing activities available include swimming (for those brave enough) in the outdoor pool, walking/jogging/bird watching in the extensive grounds and retail therapy at the local shops. By far the most popular shop last year was The Sewing Basket in Kincumber. 
• The retreat is only open to individual QuiltNSW financial members (at the time of booking and the time of the retreat. 
• Maximum number of participants is 30.

Attendance Options: 

• 2 nights/3 days (Friday to Sunday) 

• 3 nights/4 days (Thursday to Sunday) 

• 2 nights is $435 per person . Includes accommodation (Friday and Saturday) and all meals, including morning and afternoon tea, from dinner on Friday to lunch on Sunday. 

• 3 nights is $625 per person – Includes accommodation (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) and all meals, including morning and afternoon tea, from dinner on Thursday to lunch on Sunday. 

To book or make your final payment CLICK HERE

Quilt Study

Quilt Study exists to promote interest and research into quilting, particularly in New South Wales and is a sub-committee of QuiltNSW. Members are committed to the study of quilts past and present with this study encompassing the social and historical context in which the quilts were made as well as designs, techniques and materials used in both vintage and contemporary quilts.

The dates times and venue for Quilt Study talks in 2023  are being scheduled.

Sip and Sew

Do you want to enjoy the company of fellow quilters without leaving home? Kaye Jamieson, President of QuiltNSW, is hosting ‘Sip and Sew’ on Zoom on the second  Friday of each month. Just register in advance via the e-newsletter for a Zoom link, supply your own beverage of choice and log in between 6.30 and 9.30pm with your hand sewing ready to go!  Hope to see you there!