Community Quilts

If you would like to help make quilts for worthy causes come and join the team every 2 months throughout the year. Bring your own sewing machine (unless you want to hand sew bindings - there are always a few of these to do!) and your lunch. If you have a favourite pattern, there is plenty material available, otherwise just come and use what we have. For more information scroll down this page.

NEXT Community Quilts day to Saturday 8th February 2025

Waikanae Bridge Club

10am - 3pm

Quilts donated to Red Cross

Red Cross Manager with some of the quilts for the 4 Refugee families being housed in Levin.

Quilt Donated to Age Concern

In response to Community Quilts subcommittee distributing flyers to various organisations in our area we received a request from Age Concern Kapiti. We gave them a bed quilt to raffle to provide funds for the services and activities they provide to our community.

On Friday 20th September Maree Luckman delivered a quilt which is shown with Alison Miller of Age Concern.

We have had a thank you message from Susan Church, the manager, saying how beautiful it is. Watch out for an article in the next Age Concern newsletter.

18 Quilts Distributed this Month

Earlier in May we sent a flyer to be circulated to a group of Community -based Social Service Organisations which meet regularly in Kapiti. We had a very good response and, as a result we have now distributed 18 quilts, some of which can be seen here, to people supported by the following organisations:

Whanau Wellbeing Hub,

The Road Forward,

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren,

MSD

Community Connections (Disabilities).

Thanks to Katharine Stoddart, Coordinator or the Frontline meeting who helped get our meassage out there and an especially big THANKYOU! to all our members who regularly help to make these quilts.

Short Video of Quilts Shown at Meeting on May 18th 2024

If you know of someone or a family who are having to cope with difficult things in their lives - health issues or hardship - or if you know of organisations with clients in similar circumstances let us know at kcqcommunityquilts@gmail.com. We give quilts for warmth and comfort and just to bring a little cheer into the lives of others.

A Quilt for Ruth

Community Quilts regular, Chrissie Smith-Wilson, recently gave one of her quilts to Ruth who goes to her Church and has been ill. Chrissie presented the quilt at a Church lunch and Ruth was absolutely delighted. She informed Chrissie that everyone who goes to visit her asks where it came from.

Quilts for Te Tangata Village, Paraparaumu

Some of the quilts we gave to Te Tangata Village in December. The village uses Social Investment to support vulnerable families

Community Quilts for Cancer Society Kapiti

Here is what they said....

"Dear Kapiti Quilters

On a recent Monday we were delighted to be invited to choose a number of quilts to be donated to clients of the Cancer Society. Mandy Savage (The Kapiti Support Centre Manager and Senior Health Promotor) and myself had the enviable task of trying to limit our selection to only 10 of the many beautiful quilts to give to clients. In the end we chose a variety - gentle subdued hues, very strong vibrant primary colours and others of autumnal tones. While admiring the work involved in creating the larger bed size quilts we opted for smaller ones, having in mind our clients who can too fatigued to manage the weight of the larger quilts.

Often our clients go through long courses of debilitating treatment with uncertain outcomes and experience unpleasant side effects along the way. A cancer diagnosis for someone who is already struggling can be financially devastating. So to be given a gift of a beautiful quilt made with such love and expertise can make a huge difference. The first recipient was such a case – a young woman who is a beneficiary with terminal cancer which entailed repeated admissions to hospital. She was speechless but her face was a picture when she saw the quilt that was to be hers.

A popular event at Christmas is the Cancer Society memory tree at Coastlands Mall. In conjunction with this we usually hold a raffle. This year we have selected one of the quilts in the Cancer Society colours of blue and yellow to be the main raffle prize at this event. Your donation enables us to fundraise for further services for patients in our community

Thank you all so much from us and our clients for your expertise, dedication and kindness. The hard part for us is deciding which of our clients, all of whom are deserving, are to be the lucky recipients

With gratitude and best wishes

Hilary Adams"

Wanted!

People to machine sew bindings ready for hand sewing.

We have a few quilts which just need the bindings on ready for the next community quilts day. If you have some time to spare for this we would love to hear from you.

Contact Bobby Duncan ph0272779632 rbdlegal@xtra.co.nz

Quilts for Mary Potter Hospice

Long time KCQ member, Bobby Duncan, spent time with her husband at the Mary Potter Hospice recently and this is a comment the Hospice posted on their Facebook page.following the donation of some of our Community Quilts.

“While Bobby was with John during his stay at the Hospice, she noticed that some of the beds needed a bit of warmth and colour. So she brought in six beautiful quilts made by her and her fellow Kāpiti Coast Quilters for future patients to enjoy.

“John was in the inpatient unit for 19 days. He came in in quite a bad way, and left feeling not too bad at all,” she said. “We would both say that what we got from the Hospice was absolutely amazing. We got far more care and support than we expected.” Bobby hadn’t slept for days and Hospice staff insisted that her first priority was to go and sleep. Chief executive Tony Paine said it was a pleasure to receive such beautiful quilts from the group. “The work involved in them is incredible. They will continue to provide warmth and comfort to our patients and we’re very grateful to receive them.”

Bobby and John with one of the donated quilts.

Quilts for Kapiti Women's Refuge

This month Marg Iaccoppi and Pat Webster met with Jayne Collins from Kapiti Women's centre to donate quilts on behalf of Kapiti Coast Quilters.

KCQ Community Quilts are given to women and children experiencing violence. Our aim is to provide some comfort and cheer in their lives. The quilts are sometimes given to thank volunteers who help the women. Jayne says this gift can be a very emotional one especially as its so unexpected. Lastly one or two of the smaller quilts adorn the interview rooms. She chose the purple one with leaves (above) for this purpose.

The purpose of Community Quilts is to Make Quilts to Provide Comfort and Warmth to People in need.

In doing so Community Quilts also:

· Promotes our Guild by supporting our community.

· Extends opportunity for Guild members to work together on quilt projects, promoting friendship and enabling members to learn new skills

· Purposefully and creatively utilise donated fabrics, blocks and quilt tops

Community Quilts (CQ) is open to any and all guild members.

Community Quilts is managed by a sub-committee of 4 Guild members

Any Guild member is very welcome to join in with and contribute to Community Quilts.

Ways you can contribute:

o Come to Community Quilts Days

Community Quilt days are held 2 monthly
There is a friendly convivial environment of working together
At Community Quilts day you can do cutting out, machine or hand sewing

o Work independently on making quilt tops using CQ and/or your own fabrics

o Work on a project with a group of friends at home or at Community Quilts day

The current Community Quilts sub-committee is

Maree Luckman ph0211754787 llewe54@gmail.com

Bobby Duncan ph0272779632 rbdlegal@xtra.co.nz

Pat Webster ph021609129 pat.webster.nz@gmail.com

Marg Iacoppi ph0212315762 margiacoppi@icloud.com

How We Work

ANYONE CAN MAKE A COMMUNITY QUILT!

You can either work on one 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.

Community Quilts has a large supply of fabric and partly completed projects that have been donated – you’re welcome to select fabric or a project from that supply. You are also welcome to make something independently from your own supplies.

MAKE A NEW QUILT TOP

1. If you wish to make a NEW quilt top

i. Tops should be Cot, Single or Double/queen size

2. Select a pattern you wish to make up

i. We have a few pattern suggestions if you do not already have a pattern

3. Collect fabric from CQ Fabric supply (see photos on right, contact Maree) and supplement with some of your own if you wish

4. Cut out and sew it up

i. At home, independently or with friends or bring it along to CQ Day

5. Once the top is complete take it to Bobby Duncan who will organise quilting by our team of Long Arm Quilters

6. Quilt binding is added and hand stitched

7. You may choose the binding and add the if you wish (please let Bobby know)

8. There are members who do the hand-finishing at CQ Day and at home

COMPLETE A PARTLY DONE PROJECT

1. If you wish to complete a partly done project

i. Arrange a time to select a project from the supply

ii. Call or email Maree 021 175 4787 / kcqconvenor@gmail.com

2. Collect additional fabrics as required or discuss what is required to complete the project

i. Some projects have all the fabric with them others will require creative thinking and additional fabric selection. We can work with you on that to make the best of the donations we have received.

3. Complete the project at home, with friends or at Community Quilts Day

i. Some may require additional borders or blocks to ensure it is a usable size

4. When the top is complete follow from step 5 above

For more information click here

Next Community Quilts Day

Saturday July 22nd

Waikanae Bridge Club 27a Elizabeth St Waikanae

We start at 10am and we work through to 2 or 3pm. Arrive or leave at any time - Many people bring their lunch.

Bring the tool depending on what tasks you want to do - sewing machine, neutral thread, needles etc. CQ has a supply of cutting boards rulers and rotary cutters that are available for use.

What Happens on Community Quilt Day

Typically, the room is a hive of activity – machine and hand sewing and some cutting out and ironing. You join in and do what suits you best.

The sub-committee open up by 10am and pack up by 3pm (or there abouts)

Those present help set up and clean up

Many people bring their lunch. Tea and Coffee are available at all times!

Some bring along their sewing machines and projects they are already working on for Community Quilts

Some bring their sewing machines and work on projects with others or projects that have been cut out and prepared already.

Some do hand stitching of binding, and labels, on almost completed quilts.

You are welcome to bring along a pattern and fabric and do cutting out – others might offer to help you.

The aim is to work in a collaborative way to make quilt tops – you do what suits you best to help out

If you need more information call one of the sub-committee members

Quilts for Cyclone Relief

Last month we told you how we were able to donate 19 quilts to those in need in Hawkes Bay via a contact at Inner Wheel, a service organisation. This month you can read a newsletter sent to us by Inner Wheel Hawkes Bay telling us and showing us what happened to the quilts. You can read the newsletter by clicking here. Our Convenor, Maree is still interested in hearing how we can continue to help those in Hawkes Bay. Phone her on 0211754787

Community Quilts Activity 2023

Show and Tell Daytime Meeting May 16th 2023

Hawkes Bay Cyclone Relief

Christmas Lunch 2022

Community Quilts Show and Tell July 2022