The Bluewater Quilters’ Guild (BQG) is delighted to announce free student memberships for students of elementary or high schools, college or university!
“Our guild has two main community mandates,” explained Catherine Petch, Guild President. “One is to support our community by providing comfort quilts. Last year the BQG donated a staggering 300-plus quilts to charitable organizations, so we have that aspect well covered by those members who like to create for that purpose. However, we also have a mandate to foster education about quilting and quilting related fibre art and we hope to expand that with this initiative. Students can attend and simply soak up creative ideas. There is no pressure to start sewing and no experience is required. The Guild is gender inclusive. The beauty of Zoom is you can login and keep the video off if you are shy.”
The simplest definition of a quilt is three layers, a top fabric, batting and a backing fabric, secured together. In reality, says Petch, there is huge variety within that. Quilt tops can be pieced or whole; painted, hand dyed; appliquéd by hand, glue or fusing; bed sized or sized for wall art. They can be quilted by machine or by hand. The BQG is a group of about 100 who are passionate about quilting in all these forms.
The goal is to connect with a younger audience and the Guild has reached out to area schools and colleges. There is no age restriction on the free membership and it grants full access to all the resources available to paid members: monthly Zoom meetings with quality presentations, a monthly e-newsletter, a website with quilting resources, Zoom workshops and social gatherings including a Facebook group where members share their projects and knowledge of the craft.
Petch added, “Eventually we will be able to offer quilting lessons for beginners in person again at our store front location in downtown Owen Sound, but until then we are utilizing the internet to gather and share and learn from each other.” To learn more visit www.bluewaterquiltersguild.ca and click on Membership.
source: media release, Bluewater Quilters' Guild
