Quilting for Community Groups
Events & Activities
SA Quilters: Comfort Quilts
Previously known as "Southern Comforters",SA Quilters: Comfort Quilts is a sub-group of SA Quilters, its sole purpose is to donate quilts to charity. The group of volunteers meets on the first Saturday of each month at the Uniting Church, 266 Main Road, Blackwood, to sort and cut fabrics, join backing, pin quilts, sew labels, and anything else required. The first meeting of the new group was on 3 September 2022. Keep up to date on teh SA Quilters: Comfort Quilts Facebook page here.Projects in various stages of completion are taken to SA Quilters meetings when members are given the chance to offer their skills and services to complete the work.
Supplies are mostly donated - unfinished quilt tops, fabric squares left over from challenges, and other odd bits and pieces. At present only larger donations for backings are required. SA Quilters allocates, as needed, funds to purchase good quality wadding.
All quilters are welcome to join the group by attending the monthly working bees or by taking a project to complete on an SA Quilters meeting night. There is no time limit or completion date.
Contact SA Quilters: Comfort Quilts Convenor, Kate Seinor, for further information via SA Quilters Secretary
Over the years Southern Comforters has made donations to many charities, including Ronald McDonald House, Ruby's Shelter [for troubled or homeless youth], Cyril Lindsay House [a shelter and sobriety group for Aboriginal men], Prison Fellowship, Louise Place [a centre for single mothers] St Josephs' Family Shelter, OARS [Offenders' Aid and Rehabilitation Service] De Paul Society, the Daw Park Hospice, and through St Vincent De Paul Society to African refugees. In addition, the group has, for many years, given quilts to the Adelaide Children's Hospital cancer ward and burns unit, with patients ranging from babies to 18-year olds. Our sincere thanks to Mary and Kay and their team for the difference they have made in the lives of people in need.
Catherine House
Each year SA Quilters choose a South Australian women’s and children’s charity to support. In 2022 we chose to support Catherine House which is a charity that offers crisis, longer term accommodation and support services for women experiencing homelessness. This is often as a result of fleeing a domestic violence situation. Catherine House web site is https://catherinehouse.org.au/.
President Heather Ford with
Amy Simons from Catherine House
SA Quilters provided handmade quilts, toiletry bags, toiletry items and 1,372 tote bags. A collection of funds ($1,118) was also presented to Amy Simons from Catherine House at our December 2022 monthly meeting. Throughout the year our members make the quilts and collect toiletries to fill the toiletry bags and other goods to fill the tote bags.
Above: Tote bags made by SA Quilters filled with items for clients of Catherine House
Catherine House has responded to our Christmas contribution:
I would like to sincerely thank your for your recent donation and the incredibile In Kind donation of over 1,300 Tote Bags plus toiletry and household items to support women experienceing homelessness.
As South Australia's only women's homelessness service, our focus is not only to provide crisis and longer term accommodation and support, but ensure every woman has the opportunity to recover from what has led her into homelessness.
Your gift of compassion means that women have the opportunity make a positive change in their lives by accessing support services, education, wellbing activities, employment opportunities and housing support.
Just Amazing! Thank you so much and Merry Christmas to all.
Jalee Cooper
Manager - Philanthropy and Engagement
President Heather Ford has written a pattern for a quick and easy Tote Bag - you can download the free pattern here.
Sewing for Backpacks for SA Kids
Backpacks for SA Kids has an ongoing need for various hand-made items and members are invited to sew them at their leisure. The items can be brought to Guild meetings, we will have a bag on the front of the stage to put them in, and we will ensure they are delivered to Backpacks. Please make sure the fabric used is of good quality and suitable children’s prints. Venetian blind cord (2mm thick) from Bunnings makes a great draw string and is about 15 cents per metre. The items and finished sizes are listed below.
QUILTS
30” x 38” cotton batting only please
TOILETRY BAGS
Finished size 10” wide x 14” high with a draw string, add extra to the top for the draw string casing. Does not need to be lined with fabric or be water proof
SANTA SACKS
Christmas fabric please, draw string top, add extra to the top for the draw string casing, finished sizes listed:
Small – 16” high x 13” wide
Medium – 19” high x 16” wide
Large – 20” high x 20” wide
Extra Large – 24” high x 20” wide
Download the Backpacks for SA Kids Santa Sacks pattern here.
Any questions please contact
Heather Ford
President
SA Quilters
Email: [email protected]
Clayton's Committee
Faye and Lessa and their generous team have finally said goodbye to the Clayton's Committee which has been running workshops for the past 14 years to raise funds for the Bedford Group. A mere thank you for their amazing effort is all we can offer but it is heartfelt for the committed work they have done which has benefitted so many people who benefit through the support of Bedford. Faye and Lessa handed over the final cheque in the sum of $21,000 to Sandi Stuut from the Bedford Group at the SA Quilters December 2022 meeting, bringing the total raised by the team to $350,000. Congratulations..
The funds have been raised for Bedford Industries from the workshops and the sale of the Mystery Kits since 2008. Over 1,100 quilts have been made and donated by the group since 2015 to hospitals in Adelaide. The sample quilts go to various charities and the money raised from the sale of kits goes to the Bedford Group.
Kits include fabric for a quilt top 48 square and are sold for $40.
Eye-spy kits are also available for $25.
2017
"Pick a Bag" Mystery Quilt Kits, a fundraiser for Bedford Industries. Lessa said Mystery 4 was definitely the last but she says now she is getting old and forgetful and beside my garage is still full of fabric!
Just for a change the committee have been making quilts for a number of organisations, including Mary Potter, RAH, Lyell McEwen and QEH.
Now they are making kits for these quilts available in a variety of designs and colour ways. The kits are cut and carefully packaged so that the contents are a mystery. Each kit contains pre-cut fabric, pattern, and instructions for a quilt top 48" square. "Pick a Bag' Mystery Quilt kits are $50 plus postage.
If your group would like to organise a day to make up your Mystery Quilt Kits, Faye and/or Lessa and the Clayton's girls are happy to come and help any group that purchases 20 or more kits. There is no cost to the group except puurchasing the kits. These sewing days are lots of fun and already a number of Mystery Quilt Bag project days have been held.
For more information, or to purchase a kit please contact:
Some of the possible mystery patterns:
2015
2014
Bedford 'Mystery Quilt' 2012
Over 200,000 pieces of fabric (2100 metres) were prepared for the 2012 Bedford Mystery, 20 workshops held.
A 'whopping' cheque for $75,060 was presented in July 2012.
Ambassador Faye, Lessa for Quilt Encounter and Bedford CEO Sally.