Wilga Bolton
Wilga became a dressmaker when she was raising her daughters. As a result she has a lots of lovely fabric pieces which featured in her early quilts.
In 1980 Wilga moved to Maclean, she went to TAFE to learn stretch sewing and meet new friends. In 1982 Wilga joined the first Patchwork and Quilting Group to form in Grafton. This started her on a journey that she am still enjoying today, meeting so many wonderful friends along the way.
In 1989 Wilga was asked by LCACA if she would like to start a group in Maclean. On the first day six ladies came along and Wilga very nervously showed them how to begin doing patchwork. Over the years it has been her pleasure to teach the group as it has grown. We now have about 37 members.
Wilga Bolton
“Rapsody in Blue’ was made for a class and was later shown at the Sydney Quilt Show.
A colourful version of the quilt used in another class.
Double Wedding Ring quilt with antique lace and shadow applique.
Family Heirloom Quilt with dolies from her grandmother, mother and her own. The oldest were from WW1.
Special Scrap Quilt from 1993 with twisted ribbon border.
Penguin Quilt from 1988 with polyester wadding, sheridan sheeting and tied quilting. This quilt could fit well with modern quilts today. What a beauty!
Fay Farnham
Fay Farnham
Fay has always been a sewer as her mother was a dressmaker. Fay started patchwork in 1989 when she joined Maclean Patchwork and Quilting. She was looking to keep busy after retiring. Fay is now a Life Member of our club. Fay’s favourite technique has been needleturn applique and she has passed on her knowledge to many of our members. Now Fay loved embroidery and she has won prizes for her beautiful creations.
Family Tree Quilt made to celebrate her mother’s 90th birthday. Made out of polycotton.
Friendshp Quilt made in the mid 80″s. The centre crochet square was a gift from a Jananese girl in 1955.
‘Chrysanthemum Moons’ 2012. Was started at ‘Creative By the Sea’.
Helen McNamara
Helen was born in Junee and later owned a craft shop in Cootamundra. After living in Musselbrooke for a number of years Helen retired to Yamba. She soon joined Maclean Patchwork and Quilters and made many firm friends. As she developed her piecing skills Helen started Making table runners and we called her the table runner queen. Helen also makes quilts and loves to try a new pattern or indeed make up a pattern of her own.
Helen brought in three quilts to show. The first was a “Cat Quilt” she won at one of our Biggest Morning Teas. It was made by group members. The second quilt was in her beloved purple and was her own design and the third was a pattern from the internet.
Helen and her purple quilt
Helen’s lovely purple quilt
Another great quilt by Helen
The Cattery quilt made by members of MP&Q
Marie Young
Marie retired to Maclean from Tamworth and that is when her patchwork and quilting adventure began. Joining Maclean Patchwork and Quilters she soon had lots of friends who love sewing to be inspired by. Marie is a gentle lady and spends a lot of her time helping others.
The quilts she showed us were beautifully made. The first was a sampler quilt Marie made with the group some years ago. It was designed to increase our knowledge of quilt block history and improve our piecing skills. The second quilt was a quilt made from heart blocks given to Marie when he husband died suddenly. She has put them together in a lovely memory quilt.
Marie’s scrappy sampler quilt.
Marie and her beautiful Hearts of Friendship quilt
Barbara Fowler
Barbara was a nurse during her working life. When she retired in 1991 she started quilting.
She enjoyed classes with Susan Harris in Penrith and Susan encouraged her to enter a quilt in the Sydney Quilt Show as a novice. Barb won first place for that quilt in 1994. She also had the quilt valued which was a surprising $1600. The quilt is an appliqued Rose of Sharon which Barb did whilst on fishing trips with her partner. The lovely border she designed herself.
Another of Barb’s quilts is a beautiful Round Robin quilt which was made in 2002 with six friends. This quilt won viewer’s choice at an LCACA Quilt Show. Barb supplied the fabric and centre and away it went for almost a year.
Barbara’s style has developed over the years and she now loves Japanese fabrics which have filled up her stash. Barb generally loves craftwork and chatting with friends over some stitching. She also excels at embroidery and likes knitting.
Barb talks excitedly about her beautiful Rose of Sharon quilt.
The lovely Round Robin quilt.
Colleen Brighton
Colleen with her Bernina
Colleen was a machinist during her working life as well as working in After School Care.
After a time of spinning and weaving during the 1980’s Colleen and her friend Jackie said ‘what’s next’?
Of course that would be patchwork and quilting.
During the 1990’s Colleen did a TAFE course over two years called Advanced Commercial Needlecraft which changed her life. Colleen was also a founding member of the Campbelltown Patchwork and Quilters.
Now living on the North Coast Colleen’s style has changed from traditional to more contemporary. She also dabbles in Art Quilting but her favourite now is Computerised machine embroidery.
A portion of Colleen’s friendship quilt forms the banner for this Blog.
Colleen explaining her quilt called ‘A Lovers Garden’.
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