Amazing designs to go on display at upcoming Quilt Show

Members from the Henzell Street Quilters have been busy preparing for their upcoming Quilt Show, which will be held at the Redcliffe Showgrounds on May 27-29.

The three-day event will be an opportunity for members to show off a number of special items they have spent weeks, and even months creating.

President Wendy Forsyth says the bi-annual quilt show attracts a lot of craft enthusiasts.

“We do have quite a few people who come down for the show to see what we have made,” Wendy says.

“I have just heard that there will be two big busloads of people from out of town coming to the show, which is exciting.”

All the pieces that will be on display are exquisitely crafted by the members, with plenty of beautiful things for visitors to see.

“We encourage every member of the group to enter something into the show for people to see,” Wendy says.

“Not only will someone enter a quilt, but they might choose to enter a bag they have made, or a tablecloth or some toys – really anything they have created.”

The show will also feature traders, live demonstrations, raffles where people can take home special prizes made by the group, as well as presentations by two special guest speakers.

“Our group makes a lot of quilts for charity organisations, and we will have representatives from two of those come and speak at the show,” Wendy says.

“There will be a guest speaker from the Be Uplifted Group, which is a group that support women after they have been diagnosed with cancer, as well as a lady from the Royal Flying Doctor Service.”

The Quilt Show will be open from 9am-4pm on Friday, May 27 and Saturday, May 28, and from 9am-2pm on Sunday, May 29.

The show will be held inside Webb Hall.

Entry to the show will be $5 (cash only).

Refreshments will also be available.

Showcasing their craftsmanship

The group hosts their Quilt Show every second year.

When the Quilt Show is not held, the group will deliver a number of traditional and contemporary Quilts to the Redcliffe Art Gallery, where they will be displayed as part of a special exhibition.

“Our exhibition at the Redcliffe Art Gallery is usually one of the gallery’s most popular exhibitions,” Wendy says.

A brief history of the group

The Henzell Street Quilters Group was founded on March 27, 1984, by six avid quilters.

The group was named after the original meeting place, the Education Centre in Henzell St, Redcliffe.

Today, the group boasts more than 90 members and meets every Monday morning and Tuesday Night at the Presbyterian Church Hall on the corner of Hawthorne and Ellen Streets, Margate.

The gathering on Monday morning, which is held from 9am to approximately 12pm, is a social get together where group members work on their projects and catch up with friends.

The second meeting on Tuesday nights caters for people who are unable to make the Monday morning meeting due to work or other commitments.

Members gather at 6pm and sometimes workshops are often held for people to learn a variety of new skills.

Giving back to their community

Members of the Henzell Street Quilters are passionate about giving back to their community, and one way they do that is to make quilts, bags and other items for a wide range of charities and organisations.

Some of the organisations they have contributed to include Beaumont House, Hummingbird House, Redcliffe Hospital, Jebb House, Chameleon House, Ronald McDonald House, Bush Children’s Home, Women’s refuges and Peninsula Aged Care, just to name a few.

Two ladies who oversee some of the charity work, which includes making quilts for organisations to raffle off, are Margaret Dittberner and Jeanette Kelly (pictured above). 

“It’s absolutely wonderful to know that you’re still useful at 88,” Margaret says.

“There are so many needy places out there, and it’s nice knowing that I am doing something that is making a big difference to a lot of people.”

Jeanette also loves the charity side of the group and welcomes others in the community who are looking to try something new.

“We love creating things and giving back to the community,” Jeanette says.

Get in touch

If you would like to know more about the Henzell Street Quilters, you can contact them by phoning Wendy on 0491 095 728 or June on 0410 486 993.

Alternatively, you can send an email to [email protected]

The group is also active on Facebook.