York Heritage Quilters Guild
Volunteers Wanted!
Members can participate in the charitable activities of the guild by: • attending the Community Quilt Workshop meeting night in January; • joining the Community Outreach, a bi-weekly gathering of volunteers; • taking home a prepared comfort quilt kit or donating a completed quilt; • participating in charitable activities for special needs.
Community Quilt Workshop Meeting
One regular meeting of the guild is designated as the quilt workshop night, usually in January. Working in groups at round tables, members make blocks from materials provided that are later worked into quilts for donation to an eligible community support organization.
This year's evening was well attended despite the weather predictions.The guests from Sistering, Nellie’s and St. Clare Inn spoke succinctly and to our hearts, giving us a tiny insight into the plight of those less fortunate. Their clients deal with issues such as homelessness, domestic violence and mental health challenges and so, the gift of handcrafted quilts continues to be very well received in that population.
Fundraising from the evening’s raffle totalled more than $500 which will be used to purchase fabric, batting and shelving.
This evening is a chance to meet new and old friends and have fun working together sewing blocks while enjoying refreshments. Volunteers transform the blocks into quilts which we donate to selected organizations in the community for fund-raising purposes.
If you would like more information on how to apply for and receive a YHQG community quilt for your fund raising project, please contact Wendy Dines
More detail on this evening and communtiy outreach is provided in the Community Quilts Policy.
Community Outreach
The making of quilts for donation is organized by the community quilters. This dedicated group of volunteers meet bi-weekly, between the hours of 9:30 am and 3:00pm at the Stan Wadlow Senior Centre, 373 Cedervale Ave, East York in the club hourse. Enter through the front door and turn left into the large sunny room. You can attend just once in a while or every time the group meets. Dates scheduled in 2012 are:
- January 9, 23
- Febuary 6, 13 (Note: February 20 meeting has been moved ahead to February 13)
- March 5, 19
- April 2, 16, 30
- May 7, 28
- June 4, 18
- July 9, 23
- August 13, 27
The quilts are made from donations of fabric from businesses, individuals and bequests. Please bring a sewing kit (including needles, neutral thread, pins, scissors and a rotary cutter and ruler) and if possible, a sewing machine. Bring a lunch. Coffee or tea together with a cookie are available at the Clubhouse for $1. (Revenue goes to the seniors' group at Stan Wadlow.) If you prefer, bring your own brew and a mug. A kitchen and a kettle is available.
Comfort quilts are distributed to organizations that provides emergency shelter or temporary residential facilities, for use by their clients served. A women's shelter, nursing homes and the Linus project have been beneficiaries of comfort quilts.
If you want to contribute but are unable to attend the Monday meetings at Stan Wadlow, you can take home a prepared comfort quilt kit available at the meetings or just donate a completed quilt.
This year many quilts have been donated to the community group. Thanks to the following members who made the time to complete quilts and quilt tops for community donations:
;Anne Berthelot;
Lee Cluderay;
Ruth Garbe;
Robert Gutcher;
Marguerite Irwin;
Jill Leslie;
Judy Lewis;
Peter Reeve-Newson;
Alison Ryce;
Eleanor Mayne;
Ann Sutherland; Anne Wood; Lois Ebbs; Willie Smee; Irene Philp; Marg Taylor; Kim & Daryl Workman; Mitzi Zohar; Hilgarde Koch
Joy Santink made a large donation of fabric, patterns and quilting books to the Community Outreach. Although she is no longer a member of the Guild, she keeps in touch by reading the newsletter and responded to the request for donations of fabric that was in the October newsletter. Many thanks to Joy - the stash she gave to the Community Quilters will be put to very good use.
More detail on community outreach is provided in the Community Quilts Policy.
Special Project
Happy Meal Placemats for Meals on Wheels:
Many of our members have volunteered with Meals on Wheels and know how much a shut-in or person living alone would appreciate getting a decorative place mat along with their meal. Placemats can be made in your very own creative style in colours of your choice, using a theme fabric, crazy scraps, paper pieced wonkies, strips, fused appliqué or seasonal print.
Again this year, Bill Bartlett will rally the volunteers to make placemats for donation to organizations providing meals to shut-ins. Bill will accept placemats at any time but they are distributed close to the holiday season, so you should get started those placemats now for the next holiday season.
For more information, contact Bill Bartlett
The Quilts of Valour group gathers monthly at Quilter's Block and The Quilting Patch. Contact the shop near you for times. We are still collecting high contrast finished 4-1/2" Scappy Four Patch Blocks to be used in these quilts that will go to our wounded Canadian soldiers. For more information, contact Bill Bartlett.
