Every Thursday morning, a group of women belonging to the Chestermere Whitecappers Association get together to make quilts for charity, and they have a great time doing so. They are a dynamic group of fascinating ladies that all share an interest in quilting so they have combined this hobby together with an act of charity as a way to give back to their community.
The Quilting Club comes together every Thursday morning from 9:30-11:30a.m., in the Whitecappers Room at the Rec Centre. They make “comfort quilts” of various sizes and these tokens of love are then donated to different Emergency and Victim Service Units; who in turn pass them onto children and individuals that have been involved in traumatic situations; in an effort to bring comfort and aid in healing. Along with quilting, the group also does knitting and crocheting at the same time.
This year, in order to raise funds which will be used toward purchasing supplies to make even more quilts, the group held a raffle to win a beautiful quilt which they all made together. Raffle tickets were available for purchase at last week’s Energizer Night as well as the Country Fair.
Gayle Christensen, one of the quilters explains that her interest in quilting was a process that came from the simple art of sewing, which was at one time a necessity – but then grew into a love. “We don’t like to see things go to waste – this is our root, our background” says Christensen, “We turn donated materials into something useful.”
These ladies live with the motto to reduce, reuse and recycle but not because it’s a fad, they do it because it was how their generation lived. The ladies are happy to note that in recent years they have noticed quilting, as well as other forms of crafting are beginning to make a comeback, despite being considered a lost art. “With the advancement of the machines and what they can do, younger people are becoming more interested in quilting again” says Christenson, who calls the more modern way of quilting ‘machine art’. “It takes real knowledge and talent to work those machines and the results can be incredibly beautiful quilts.”
The group has 2 sewing machines already with the possibility for more in the future if the need is there so nobody has to bring their own and most of the supplies and fabric are donated, either by the quilters or members of the community who like to contribute.
Naturally, the friends also enjoy the opportunity each week to socialize and share with one another. In addition to creating the keepsakes, they are building life-long relationships by joining within engaging and lively conversation amid lots of laughter.
These friendly ladies invite anyone over the age of 50 to join them. All you need is a membership to the Whitecappers Association which is a mere $25 annual fee. If you are over 50 and do not hold a membership but would like to see what the group is all about, you are welcome to come in as a guest one morning to sample what the group has to offer.
If you have materials like cotton or flannel that you would like to donate to the Whitcappers Quilters Club, or for more information on News and Happenings, you may contact them at 403-235-2117.
