About Us
'Tuesday Quilters' is a patchwork and quilting group of friendly people from all sorts of backgrounds and abilities.
The group came into being when a lonely quilter couldn't find a local group to join after completing two years of classes. After an International Quilting Day get-together in March 2001 an article in Wetherby News mentioned that a new group was envisaged and asked interested parties to get in touch.
A meeting was held at Deepdale on 4th April 2001 attended by about 20 people and we decided to form a group. The last Tuesday of each month was decided upon, a Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer co-opted (or in one case coerced!), subscription set and first meeting to be last Tuesday in April. So we set off.
The group's first big event was in October 2001 when we were asked to host a visit by Clare Smith, an international prize-winning New Zealand art quilter and teacher. Clare gave a talk and slide show called 'Magic Fabric' about her own quilts and the inspiration for her work as well as about quilting in the Pacific Islands. |
'Portrait of a Reptile' by Clare Smith |
'Ti Kouka' by Clare Smith |
The Saturday afternoon event was very well attended. After the talk we served proper afternoon tea with food made, donated and served by our members. We managed to cover all our costs and even made a profit, much to the relief of our small committee!
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Numbers began dropping off after the first year although we?ve always had a nucleus of regular founder members. By Summer 2002 attendance at the meetings was worryingly low and something drastic would have to be done or else we?d close. In November 2002 our first Newsletter was sent out to members the week before the November meeting.
The Newsletter served two purposes: it reminded members of the date of the next meeting a few days beforehand and it gave us an element of communication in the four weeks between meetings.
Having been invited to exhibit Patchwork and Quilting at the Wetherby Parish Church Summer Fete in the summer of 2001, we have been each year since. We have found this exhibition a good source of PR and recruits for our group as well as being an enjoyable and interesting day.
We have made one communal quilt which was donated to Harrogate Hospital to raffle for its Scanner Appeal and we are currently in the middle of putting together another quilt of crazy patchwork blocks which our members have made. When completed this quilt will also be donated to a local charity.
To celebrate our third birthday, and to thank her for all the hard work she puts in on our behalf, members of the group secretly made a quilt for our founder and Chairperson, which was presented to her at our Garden Party in the summer. Below, you can see a picture of Jean with her quilt.
Jean's Stars!
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So we go on enjoying ourselves; we have a good programme organised for 2006/7 with workshops, demonstrations, outings, a mystery quilt and an exhibition of members' work planned. Keep an eye on our other pages for more information about any of our activities, so don't forget to check back regularly