Anyone wanting to get crafty with quilts or other needlework projects in Clinton, and enjoy the company of others while they do so, can take part in the informal quilting group that is held at the seniors’ centre every Monday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Jo Gosset, who is organizing the group this year, says it has been taking place for five or six years, with different people joining in at different times.
“Anybody can come,” she says. “Pretty much all of us quilt except for one person who’s a weaver. Sometimes people bring crocheting or knitting projects for a break from quilting.”
The drop-in sessions are by donation ($2 a time), and Gosset says that the social aspect of the group is a big part of the appeal, with between four and 10 people dropping in each Monday whenever it suits them. People mostly work on their own projects, but she says they do group projects once in a while.
“We do donation quilts for Victim Services at the Clinton RCMP detachment,” she says. “We donate anywhere from six to a dozen quilts of all sizes each year.”
The group is for people of all different levels. “Newbies are more than welcome,” says Gosset. “There’s usually someone around who can help.”
She explains that the group started when Clinton quilters who used to drive to 100 Mile to quilt decided that was too far to drive. “I’m the only one left from that original group.”
While participants bring their own projects to work on, Gosset says that people sometimes drop material off for the quilters to fashion quilts from. “We can also finish off projects. We don’t say no to anything.”
The group stopped meeting during the pandemic, and has only recently resumed the weekly sessions. Gosset says she’s starting to see some younger people get interested in quilting, but adds that it’s not a cheap hobby.
However, she notes that the group has recently had some fabric donated to them, and says that if someone is interested in learning how to quilt and doesn’t mind doing something “scrappy”, the group can help them out with supplies to get them started.
“We like to repurpose as much as possible. And we love to share our craft with others.”