Fiona McDonald and Anne Giugni with their latest creations at the Wollongong Modern Quilt Guild. Photo: Zoe Cartwright.
Walk into the Bulli Community Centre on the third Saturday of the month and you’ll be warmly greeted into the hustle and bustle that’s characteristic of the Wollongong Modern Quilt Guild.
But be very careful, or you might leave with a burning desire to buy a sewing machine and spend the rest of your weekend asking YouTube how to sew a quarter-inch seam.
By 9:30 am the hall is filled with women of all ages – men are welcome too – enthusiastically stitching, chatting and showing off their latest projects.
In fact, the session kicks off with a “show and tell” which can be properly appreciated by anyone who’s exhibited their latest craft project to a less-than-interested partner or friend.
As each woman displays her latest creation at the front of the room she’s met with intelligent questions about how it was made and appreciative comments about her workmanship.
Then it’s time to get cracking on current projects.
Member Karen Bulbert said the hobby went much deeper than what most people thought.
“When I retired I was a burnt-out teacher and I needed to find myself,” she said.
“A friend said, ‘Come with me to patchwork’ and it’s now been 10 years.
“It’s very zen; you can zone in and be in your own world.”
President of the guild Katherine Colby agreed.
She said some members had turned up consistently for more than a decade, while others came and went.
What pulls most of them back is the sense of calm, achievement, and community.
“It stills your mind, and we have members from all walks of life so there is that sense of community,” she said.
“It gets you out of the house and we all learn different tips, tricks and techniques from each other and it feels good to pass that knowledge on as well.
“It’s a form of self-expression – you can give everyone the same fabric and the same pattern and they will each produce something slightly different.
“It’s aesthetically pretty and you have a nice finished product at the end you can gift to others so there is a sense of accomplishment.”
The guild currently supports a number of local and international causes, such as Rotary, women and children fleeing domestic violence, wheelchair users overseas and children entering foster care.
Support can be through the direct donation of quilts to people in need of warmth and comfort, or by auctioning off quilts to raise much-needed funds.
After the Black Summer bushfires the guild sewed more than 950 quilts for people who had lost everything, with donations of fabric and blocks pouring in from around the world.
A recent project raffled off by the guild was valued at $4000.
Member Ros Farrugia said it was no wonder when you added up the time, skills and materials involved.
“You have three layers, the top, the wadding and the backing,” she said.
“The materials alone could come to $500, and a complicated project could take three months to finish.”
If you’re wondering about the ‘modern’ in Wollongong Modern Quilt Guild, the style embraces innovation with non-traditional digital and artistic influences.
Think large graphic designs, bright colours, negative space and minimalist patterns.
The Wollongong guild was the first of its kind in Australia and is affiliated to a parent group in the US. They’re currently preparing for the 2025 Modern Quilting Show in Sydney – the first since 2019.
What ties everyone in the group together is a love of the craft and a deep desire to see it passed on.
Karen said you didn’t need much to get started.
“Sewing by hand is not my thing; I do everything on the machine,” she said.
“You can pick one up secondhand; every single one of mine has been.
“You need some space in your house and a determination to finish.”
Katherine encouraged anyone keen to learn to knock on the door of the Bulli Community Centre on the third Saturday or preceding Friday of any month.
Guild members range in age from 13 to in their 80s, and she said men often have an excellent eye for colour and the patterns that are fundamental to quilting.
“We have loads of information, loads of knowledge and everyone is happy to share,” she said.
“Come along, have a chat and learn to sew.
“The door is open, the kettle is on; just bring your needle and thread or sewing machine.”
