The topic of emails currently, is just not about what people are sewing, but where they are now sourcing their food and the different companies that are offering delivery.

The Committee felt that the members may like to have a project that “kept them going as a group” and so we started with a “Block of the Fortnight”, something different. Instructions were sent out on alternate Mondays for a different block which could be make in a choice of sizes. This has proved very popular and it has been decided to increase the frequency and it will, from Monday 27th April, become a “Block of the Week”. It will be interesting to see these, hopefully made into quilts, when we are able to resume meetings later in the year. On top of this, many quilting sites and shops are making free patterns available at this time, so no excuses for having nothing to do. Members are being updated regularly of what is available and where. Many of the quilt shops are offering online or telephone ordering and of course – we all have that stash that needs using, or at least making a start on!

Many people will have seen requests on the news for items for the NHS, making scrubs, bags for washing scrubs in and small hearts either sewn or knitted. As ever, the members have risen to this challenge, the scrubs bags have been sent to Croydon University Hospital (aka Mayday), The Nightingale Hospital at The Excel Centre, Lewisham Hospital in South London and to West Sussex. Some of the members have messaged to say they are sewing scrubs!

I am sure it is true for all of Shirley Quilters that they feel extremely lucky to have a hobby to keep them occupied at the present time and it would be quite safe to say, that most quilters have other hobbies – what would we do without them?

24th April 2020