Kathy Forsyth

Arts and entertainment reporter

Hundreds of hours of stitching, creativity and craftsmanship will be on display this weekend as the Eastbay Quilters annual Positively Patchwork exhibition opens at The Art House today.

Featuring about 70 quilts created by around 25 talented quilters, the exhibition showcases everything from traditional patchwork and hand appliqué to contemporary art quilts.

The display includes work from Eastbay Quilters members, the group’s art quilters and invited quilting group Cotton Pickers.

Among the exhibitors are long-time quilters Colleen Smith and Marion Newdick, who say quilting is about far more than fabric and thread.

“It’s the companionship and friendships,” said Smith, who began quilting in the mid-1990s after visiting an Ōhope quilter with a group of friends.

Inspired, they formed the Nightingale Quilters – many of them nurses – meeting at night to sew together. That group later evolved into what is now Eastbay Quilters.

“My first quilt was an appliqued child’s quilt,” said Smith.

“Which was all done by hand.”

Though she later explored machine quilting, hand appliqué remains her favourite style.

Newdick, originally an embroiderer, says quilting soon became irresistible.

“Patchwork satisfies a lot of things for women,” she laughed.

“It’s the chance to shop and buy fabric. There’s the creative making.”

An ancient craft, she said, “We’ve been making coverings for ourselves for centuries.”

The pair say some larger quilts can take up to a year to complete, making the exhibition a rare chance for the public to appreciate the time and skill involved.

Newdick also enjoys the appliqué style of quilting: “I prefer the needle in my hand, and I think that’s a hangover from Embroidery.”

The group also creates charity quilts for organisations including Starship Hospital, Women’s Refuge and the local cancer centre.

Beyond the stitching, both women say the social connection keeps them coming back.

“There’s nothing like a circle of women stitching together for hours,” said Newdick.

“It makes you socialise, share and learn from one another. It’s marvellous.”

Eastbay Quilters meet at The Art House on the second, fourth and fifth Thursdays of the month, and welcome anyone interested in learning the craft.

Come along to the Eastbay Quilters exhibition this weekend, where you can also grab a raffle ticket for a stunning hand-crafted quilt and a luxury item basket.

Eastbay Quilters Positively Patchwork Exhibition

• Where: The Art House, corner of McAlister and Short streets
• When: Friday, May 15 to Sunday, May 17, 10am-4pm
• Entry: Gold coin – raffles and quilts for sale