About
Prize-winning quilts from our 2023 exhibition
OUR GUILD
Situated on the beautiful Kapiti Coast of New Zealand we are a diverse group of quilters and fibre artists with the love of quilting as the thread which brings us together. From the outset we have been a dynamic group participating in and enjoying a broad range of activities. These include a variety of classes, addresses from speakers (both local and international), sewing days and exhibitions.
Meetings are held twice a month at Waikanae Bridge Rooms, 27 Elizabeth Street, Waikanae. This means we have both a day and an evening meeting to suit the needs of all members. Interesting speakers, Show and Tell and helpful hints mean we are always inspired at our meetings over the year. Day meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month at 10a.m. Evening meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at 7.15pm. Next meeting dates are advertised in the relevant section of the website.
Membership of the guild from 2022 will cost $40 per annum with a $5 discount if paid by May 31st each year and can be paid in cash to the Treasurer (Corinne Gower) at meetings, but preferably through internet banking. Our Account No is: 01-1167-0013764-00. New members should be sure to put their name in the reference and fill in a membership form (download here KCQ Membership Form.pdf) to give to a committee member at your next meeting or email to kcqmembership@gmail.com. Please note - there is an initial discount for members who join between August and October, $26 and between November and March, $13.
Visitors are welcome to our monthly meetings- people can attend two free sessions but are then expected to become members if they wish to participate further.
OTHER ACTIVITIES:
Classes, where we can learn new techniques or 'relearn' them as the case may be, are held throughout the year . To find out more about classes click here
Community Quilts Group - At Community Quilts we make quilts to provide comfort and warmth to people in need. Some recipients of our quilts have been Kapiti Women's Refuge, Kapiti Youth Support, Cosy Kiwi Kids, flood victims in Hawkes Bay and local fire victims.
Community Quilts has a large supply of fabric and partly completed projects that have been donated You can either work on a quilt at home by yourself or join with friends and share the experience. Every two months there is Community Quilts Day where we can all work on our quilts together at the Bridge Club. We meet on a Saturday from 10am til about 2.30pm but you can attend for all or part of this time . You can find out more about Community Quilts by clicking here.
So while several small groups of quilters continue to meet in the community, our Guild has achieved our aim of enabling quilters on the Kapiti Coast to meet and share their passion for the craft, on a larger scale.
The AGM is held in June and a committee of up to 10 are elected to run the organisation. This year we have 1 vacancy and anyone interested in joining the committee should speak to Margaret Atkins our Convenor.
Guild Committee 2023-2024
I started my quilt journey about 6 years ago with the creation of my grandsons cot quilt and I learned quickly there is an art to lining up all the patchwork. Since then I have made several larger quilts for family incorporating embroidery and applique . I also knit to keep my fingers from succumbing to arthritis. I joined the Guild approximately 4 years ago . I enjoy attending classes learning new skills from tutors and not just U-tube. My most recent work has had a Japanese theme with Shibori dyeing and Sashiko embroidery. Combining these I have just finished a jacket.
I have two sons living in Toronto Canada and when I’m there I take advantage
of adding to my stash with some different types of fabric and mooching through the fashion district loaded with old fashion button stores and fashion and fabric warehouses.
Deputy Convenor
Vacant
We moved to the Kapiti Coast 7 years ago & I joined KCQ soon after. My grandmother and mother taught me to knit crochet embroider and sew from a very early age. My first love was embroidery but now I’m more of a quilter. I’ve made loads of quilts for my family and friends - eg significant birthdays, wedding quilts, baby quilts, memory quilts. I’m delighted my young granddaughters are showing a keen interest in quilting and other needle crafts.
Donna Jordan
Classes and Speakers
ph 0274249060
kcqclasses@gmail.com
I'm married to Ross and have 3 grown up sons and 9 grandchildren. I have been quilting for about 32 years now. A friend introduced me to quilting and I love doing it. I go away to retreats with a group of friends 3 times a year and they are always fun. Over the last few years I've been making bags and have loved doing these. I'm running a class in Oct for some bags so that will be a new challenge for me. I'm looking forward to being on the committee hopefully bring some interesting clases and speakers to the club.
Anne Lynn
Co- Secretary and Hostess
ph 0212624387
I have been a sewer for many years and spent years making clothes and costumes for my daughters, who danced. I started quilting about five years ago and was struggling with quilting techniques, when a friend suggested I join the Kapiti Quilters. She said they were friendly and would help me with advice. It took a few months to get the courage to attend the first Thursday night meeting. At the first meeting I met Mary Hadfield, who was a great help and got me started on my first quilt. Then I did the beginners quilt with Wendy and I was on my way and hooked on quilting.
Anne O'Callaghan
Hostess
ph 0274714175
I was first introduced to quilting some years ago along with some work colleagues when we attended a ‘Hot Water Bottle Cover’ course at what was formerly Nancy's in Wellington. I was immediately hooked on quilting. My efforts over the years have included oven mitts (of all things) as gifts for family members in the early days, to numerous cot quilts, and some bed quilts. I joined the Kapiti Coast Quilters Guild last year and have enjoyed the comradeliness and have been truly inspired with some of the outstanding works produced by members. My current project, a kimono wall hanging, has taken me out to left field, but I’m really enjoying the challenge.
I started quilting about 3 years ago. I've always been a sewer, and had long admired peoples quilts. But raising a family and working part time didn't lend itself to quilting. So now the kids have all gone - I have a designated sewing room, and can quilt to my heart's content. I learned the basics from Marion Cooper, who also introduced me to the Quilting Guild. I've been hooked ever since. I've made quilts for the grandchildren, and some of my older kids now have one too. I have 3 more to make then I'm going to make one for my husband and I.I enjoy learning to design the quilts and putting the lovely colours together to see a great result. Recently I tried a technique for using strips of fabric and scraps - putting them into a box and sewing together whatever I pulled out. Boy did that challenge my sense of "what goes together" and 'how something should look'. But I did enjoy the piece I made....I call it The Chaos of Life.. I'm happy to put some of my quilts in the Exhibition this year. Happy quilting.
I live in Waikanae with my partner Alix. I have two children and two grandchildren, one of whom lives with us this year while her parents are in Turkey. I have been making quilts since living in Invercargill in the 1970s. My first big quilt was made of hexagons and took me 11 years to complete! I have learned to do it faster since then but I have been a sporadic quilter, trying to fit quilting into a very busy life. I have made quilts for many children, family and friends over the years. In Nelson I first got my own sewing room which I loved and when I came to Waikanae I bought a house big enough to have one here. I love sewing but I don't consider myself a great quilter - just good enough to make friends and family happy with the things I do.
I have been quilting for about 26 years, I went to Thimbles and Threads for their beginners patchwork class run by Heather Harding. I was introduced to Pinestream Quilting Club by my neighbour and stayed a member until leaving Upper Hutt. I have been a member of Kapiti Quilt Club for 3 years and joined the Committee 2 years ago. I am enjoying working with the Library Books and am happy to listen to all requests for new books.