COUNTRY FORUM
Country Forum is a bi-annual get together, in Adelaide, of delegates from our Country Member Groups hosted by SA Quilters. It is a day of fun, friendship, information, shops, show and tell, lucky draws and more. The day has a theme with guest speakers to complement the theme.
The alternate year an SA Quilters affiliated country group hosts a similar day called Rural Roundup. Follow updates on the Rural Roundup page at RURAL ROUNDUP
For more information, email: saquilters@gmail.com
2025 Country Forum Report by Heather Ford
Saturday, 25th October 2025 saw the SA Quilters bi-annual event “Country Forum” once again take place at Adelaide West Uniting Church, Brooklyn Park. 155 ladies from all parts of SA converged for a day of inspiration and fun. The theme for the day was “Spring into Stitching”.
To enable more country groups to attend numbers were initially set at 5 per group with the option for additional members to attend should numbers allow. This was the case, so country groups were invited to register more attendees. At the same time groups were notified that the attendance fee had been reduced to $20 per person, as in the interim, a grant had been received from the SA Government, through the Ageing Well programme. Rural numbers attending did not increase significantly so the event was opened to city groups and individual members.
Guest presenters Wendy Hunt, Bronwen Sayers and Jackie Harris showcased their diverse quilting interests and demonstrators Di Bessell, Marg Hurrell, Gaylene Morgan, Monique Reed and Carmel Loughry inspired attendees before the day began and during the lunch break. The catering team provided a very welcome morning tea and lunch. Forty plus SA Quilters volunteers made the day enjoyable for everyone.
Thank you to all the volunteers for their part in making the day a success.
The two shops in attendance Sew Focus and Strath Sewing and Quilting tempted everyone with an amazing array of goods to purchase. Thank you to the shops for their time and effort in bringing their shops to Country Forum and their raffle prizes.
At the start of the day groups were invited to introduce their group and say a little about where they meet and what they do. An inspiring array of show and tell from the attendees was a joy to see. Attendees received a goody bag and took part in a lucky draw for a series of lovely give-aways. Two quilts and a goody basket were prizes for the raffle, funds raised to be donated to Puddle Jumpers, the SA Quilters charity for 2025.
The day was sponsored by the Ageing Well Grant, The Bobbin Tree, Sweet Pea, Sew Focus, Strath Sewing & Quilting and we thank them all for their generous support.
We look forward to seeing everyone in 2026 when Inman Quilters will host Rural Roundup at Victor Harbor and back in the city for Country Forum in 2027.
The Country Forum Team
Rosanne Fuller, Peg Argent, Di Bessell, Marg Hurrell, Gaylene Morgan, Jan Goulter, Carmel Baxter, Jennie Martin, Ros Wyatt and Heather Ford.
Country Forum Report by Daphne Lines from Burra Quilters
The many Country Quilters that attended the Country Forum on 25th October would not have gone away disappointed, as we sprung into Spring before the storm broke.
A welcoming morning tea greeted the early arrivals with the day looking a little threatening as the storm clouds gathered and we settled in for another great day of “all things quilting”. The demonstrations drew a steady stream while others looked to the goodie bags to see what was happening with the program for the day. Demonstrations were given by Gaylene Morgan and Monique Reed making quilted postcards, Margaret Hurrell bindings, Carmel Loughry Eppiflex EPP and Di Bessell making playing card holders.
We had the opportunity to meet the Leadership teams as they were presented from the stage. It is really quite amazing how many members are involved in not only putting Country Forum together but all of the other aspects of SA Quilters that keep the show on the road. This also meant that if we had a question in any area of the administration we knew where to start.
After being welcomed by the President of SA Quilters, Roseanne Fuller, it was down to the business of the day beginning with groups that wished to, introducing themselves and giving a brief outline of their group’s activities, we, the Burra group, shared our gifting programme that includes presenting our older citizens, those who have celebrated a 90th birthday and living independently, with a Quilt.
Inspiring Wendy Hunt was the first keynote speaker to take the stage. Wendy shared with us her Quilting Journey, from Kalgoorlie to Roxby Downs and Adelaide, it was interesting to see her skills evolve through her early years and culminated with her entries into Festival of Quilts and then her prize-winning entries in the Festival. It was encouraging to follow her journey and know what is achievable if you put your mind to it! Bronwen Sayers was the second speaker and shared her love of digitising, quite a challenging subject for the basic computer skilled member but one that produces beautiful work for her. This though was an interesting session even if the method of digitising was foreign to many. Jackie Harris took the stage for the final Speakers session and was proud to show her first ever quilt, a paper pieced one made in her pre-teen years, now very obviously loved and used. She also had a beautiful Sashiko Jacket as part of her presentation
Shops for the day, Strath Sewing and Sew Focus presented items that they had in their pop-up shops. It never ceases to amaze how many different products are available to make our quilting life easier or more interesting.
As the storm broke we enjoyed a cuppa before making our way home, for some through driving rain and for we country folk, a top up of our rainwater tanks reflecting on the friendships and fellowship that we had shared throughout the day.
The lucky door prize was the card in the card holder, a gift in our goodie bag, selected by a chocolate wheel spin, our row thought that all of the suite of Clubs had been removed as there was only one club for all of the draws.
Thank you Country Forum Team for a stimulating and encouraging day. Put 25th October 2026 into your Diaries for Rural Round Up to be hosted by Inman Quilters at Victor Harbor.
2023 COUNTRY FORUM REPORT
28th October 2023
On 28 October 23, 160 ladies came ‘up’ to Adelaide, ‘over’ to Adelaide or ‘down’ to Adelaide for a special event known as Country Forum, some of them arriving as early as 8.30am from their distant locations. Participants came from as far as Bordertown, Cleve, Pt Pirie, Yankalilla and the Riverland. Good job we had the kettle on ready and waiting for them to enjoy a lovely morning tea upon their arrival!
It was a fun day, even though the venue was a bit squishy! It was great to have so many ‘Show and Tell’ quilts – that is real inspiration, to see what others are making, and to have a couple of shops right there to help you get started! Thank you to everyone who brought something to share.
Throughout the day we had five guest ‘Show and Tells’. Zara Zannettino, who talked about Art Quilts, Sue Knuckey talked and showed us her traditional quilts, Bronwyn Cant showed us her story quilts, Kay Calder showed us and talked about her machine quilting and in the afternoon, Jeanne Treleaven showed us her modern approach to quilting. Such an inspirational day!
How do you make a decision about what you will make next? Often it depends on what’s in your stash to create or to play with! PennyLane Patchwork and Quilters Quarters were the featured shops on the day and provided all the supples we needed to take home to continue our quilting journey.
Thanks to Peg and her kitchen team we all enjoyed a delicious and healthy plate of fresh cooked chicken and salads for lunch, and bottomless cups of tea or coffee! Plenty of people to talk with over the lunch break, plenty of shopping to be done and the four demonstrators: Jill Radcliffe, Carol Sanderson, Jill Radcliffe and Michele Hill… were wonderful close-up learning experiences. Thank you too, to those four ladies for sharing their skills and talents with us.
Many of you took home a lucky draw prize, everyone took home a goodie bag with a divine little inspirational bee to remind you of the day. Caroline Chapman, now of Adelaide but previously of Mt Gambier, won the Bee Quilt raffle draw. Michele Hawthorne won the second prize basket full of goodies and Joyce Chapman won the giant crochet bee. Thank you to our quilting friends who donated such wonderful prizes.
It was fabulous for everyone to meet Heather Ford, President of SA Quilters, as she chaired the event. During the day she talked about quilt evaluation, how the team work together to give a monetary valuation to each quilt which is assessed, and the importance of this process. Heather also talked about how the Judging Panel works and their availability to judge at Country exhibitions.
We are hoping that all the ladies who came had a bee-inspirational and memorable ‘quilty’ day, with ‘quilty’ old and new friends.
Thank you for being part of Country Forum 23. We value your feedback, which you can email to: events.saquilters@gmail.com
Click on the following presentations to enjoy videos and slideshow at Country Forum:
June Yam
Events Team Leader
SA Quilters
Enjoy a collage of random photos taken throughout the day in the fun Country Forum “frame”
2021 COUNTRY FORUM REPORT
Saturday, 30th September 2022
Theme: Unmasking the Future
A huge thank you to Jane and Cindy for organising and hosting an informative and interesting Country Forum on behalf of SA Quilters. Guest speakers, demonstrations and SA Quilters member shops were there to entertain, inform and cater to everyone. It was a wonderful opportunity to do some retail therapy and catch up with friends.
And thanks to our member shops: Brenda and Tracey from Widebacks and Christina from Melann’s.
Below are a few photos taken on the day.
Helpers left to right: Cindy and Jane; Michael and Christine; Peg and Gaylene. And our congratulations to Rhonda, the winner of the Country Forum raffle.
Demonstrators left to right: Jill, Candy, Chris, Margaret
And thanks to our member shops: Brenda and Tracey from Widebacks and Christina from Melann’s
And we asked Sonia Holton from Gawler Quilting Circle to give us her impressions of the 2021 Country Forum event. Here is what she had to say:
After what had been a pretty ordinary week it was great to be able to attend the Quilters Guild of SA Country Forum that was held at the Adelaide West Uniting Church celebrating the theme “Unmasking the future”
From the moment I arrived at 9am along with at least 16 other members of our group I was welcomed with smiling faces and some friendly banter. All attendees received a durable cotton duck calico coloured bag brandishing the Guild Logo with goodies and the days program along with a beautifully made quilted pouch/ bag.
After collecting our goodie bag and name badge we were thirsty for a hot cuppa and were not disappointed with the beautiful morning tea that was presented in cute little boxes – so many choices in this little box it was hard to know what to eat first – compliments to the kitchen staff for this fab morning tea! Naturally after morning tea there was a bit of time to check out the shops in attendance; Widebacks with Brenda, Tracey and Rachelle and Melanns Sewing Centre with the enthusiastic Christina – whom I believe is the future of sewing in SA. It is such a delight to see such a young person so passionate about sewing!
Retail therapy is always so good for the soul and the mind, if only I could sew and create as quickly as I can shop. Oh well, I am always happy to sit and look at my purchases for a while before using them.
At 10am we were asked to take our seats ready for the first part of the presentations, we were welcomed by Cindy and Jane who were the organisers of this event. The Forum was then officially opened by Guild President Heather Ford followed by a roving microphone and introductions from the various groups in attendance. The excitement continued with the first of the lucky draws. Several members of our group were lucky to receive a prize in this draw, little did we know that all attendees were going to be collecting a lucky prize sometime throughout the day. Following this excitement, the IT talk began. This was a great introduction to many about the use of social media platforms and other technologies that bring us together despite the physical distance between us during Covid times. The guest speaker for the day was Suzanne Gummow, I particularly loved the YouTube video that Suzanne shared of the Dolce and Gabbana Runway Fashion Show that was full of patchwork inspired clothing.
Show and tell was a plethora of beautiful quilts, some large, some small but all beautiful, there are some extremely talented people with whom we share our passion. This is often great inspiration for a new project or the encouragement to complete a project that you may have started but lost your way to finish. It was time to eat again, lunch was an assortment of sandwiches and wraps which were delicious, along with bottomless tea or coffee. During this break there were demonstrations from various guild members, more shopping opportunities along with the chance to chat with people you know or would like to know.
The second part of the day was a chance to ask questions and get answers, more show and tell and another round of lucky draws. Every player won a prize! My heartfelt thanks to this amazing group of people who managed to host Country Forum. I know that it takes many hours and a great deal of team work to make it happen.
Of course, I could not finish this piece without mentioning the perfect end to the afternoon, scones with jam and cream and another cuppa! Just the sustenance needed to make the journey home. Thank you once again…
Sonia Holton – Attendee (Gawler Quilting Circle)