Wednesday Activities
On a typical Wednesday morning we work on individual projects, have morning tea, a lucky badge draw, a show & tell of our latest work and catch up with any notices of activities.
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| Busy hall on a Wednesday morning |
Every month there is an in-house demonstration,
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| Di showing a no fail method of joining binding during an in-house demonstration |
a spot raffle,
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Helen organising the raffle of a shop voucher by having a
previous winner draw the lucky ticket. |
and a BomB (Block of the month Bonanza) demonstration where those making the block at home go in the draw to win the lot the following week.
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| Lesley demonstrating how to make the Flower Fantasy BomB block |
In-house Workshops and Workshops by visiting tutors are also arranged.
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Margaret working on her Mystic Mountain table runner in an in-house
workshop run by Joan |
Due to a request for hints on basic patchworking techniques, one of our members is currently running some basic patchwork classes which all are invited to join to brush up on a specific technique, or to complete a whole sampler quilt.
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| Joan demonstrating how to cut accurate strips for a Log Cabin block |
The whole day Saturday Sit and Sew is a chance to bring sewing machines and tackle larger projects, or get to grips with UFOs, or simply come along for a chat.
The Saturday Sit and Sew meets at the Womens Centre in Shakespeare St on the second Saturday of the month. Cost is $5 and includes tea and coffee but your own morning tea and lunch must be brought.
Blankets of Love
Blankets of Love is a wonderful initiative started in Australia in 1992 to offer beautiful quilts as a lasting memento to parents of babies who have died before or at birth.
Bucasia Beach Quilters regularly donate these small quilts to the local hospitals.
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Our Blankets of Love Coordinator giving some pointers
on how to make a little quilt for the programme. |
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| Some blankets of love ready to be delivered. |
Charity Quilts
Each year we make a quilt to be raffled, with the proceeds going to a local charity.
This small quilt called "Thoroughly Modern" is our 2017 Charity Quilt. It was made from blocks submitted in the modern block challenge at our 2016 Quilt and Craft Fair.
The 2016 Charity Quilt called Australiana was also constructed from challenge quilt blocks from the 2014 Quilt and Craft Fair. Money raised from the sale of raffle tickets in this quilt will go to the Northern Beaches Girl Guides.
The 2015 Charity Quilt called Home Among the Gum Trees was made from blocks entered into the block challenge at our 2014 Quilt and Craft Fair. Money was raised for Headspace, a group working with at risk young people.
This shows the 2014 Charity Quilt. Called Bucasia Sunset, it was drawn at our July Quilt Fair. The money raised was donated to four Mackay charities.
We often provide quilts for worthy causes as requests may come in.
We sent 49 Christmas table runners as presents to be delivered to farmers doing it tough in the Outback as organised by Pioneer Valley Rotary in November 2016
These 4 quilts made with donated fabric were presented to Breastscreen to use for fundraising and awareness purposes in July 2016.
These quilts (and others - an ongoing project) were given to the Women's Centre in time for some Christmas hampers 2016.
The two quilts below were to be used as raffle prizes in the fundraising for the local Kidney Support Centre presented in March 2016.
Bucasia Beach Quilters Quilt and Craft Fair
The 2016 Quilt and Craft Fair was held at the Northern Beaches Community Hall on 1st and 2nd of July.
The 2014 Quilt and Craft Fair was held on July 4th and 5th July 2014.
Our first ever Quilt Fair was held in July 2012. Over 300 people visited over two days and enjoyed an exciting display of quilts and other crafts that we enjoy, demonstrations by groups and individuals, a sales table brimming with delightful things made by our members, and daily prizes and quilt raffles. They could also browse amongst the many traders selling everything for the quilter from fabrics to sewing machines. Of course this was all interspersed with on-going refreshments provided by our ladies.
After costs, we donated $5,000 to the RACQ CQ Rescue and presented a cheque to representatives at the hangar after being given a guided tour of the facilities and helicopters.
Australia's Biggest Morning Tea
We usually hold the Biggest Morning Tea to raise money for the Qld Cancer Council. After a few years of pink food, clothing, hair, hats etc, we had a rainbow theme in 2014 and in 2015 turned to daffodil yellow. Displays, competitions and games, spot raffles, dressing up and fanciful food are all part of the very special morning. And sometimes we even do some patchwork!
In 2017 we missed the May deadline and will hold a Welcome to Spring Morning Tea to raise funds for local cancer charities.
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| Not exactly quilting, but there was a lot of latent creativity shown in the hat making competition at our 2017 Welcome to Spring Morning Tea. $415 was raised. |
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| 2016 was a tropical theme with hibiscus leis and sarongs. Over $300 was raised. |
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A section of the hall working hard on a competition
for our daffodil themed morning 2015 |
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| Iris's winning "teapot" in the best teapot competition 2014 |
Bucasia Beach Quilters is a proud sponsor and supporter of the Patchwork and Quilting Section at the annual Mackay Regional Show in June. Members not only enter quilts for display but take turns to steward the event. We are frequently amongst the prize winners.
A view of part of the colourful 2017 Quilting display in the Handcrafts Pavilion.
Del Uhr's Bargello which was Best of Show 2017
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| Di Hope's wall hanging which was Best of Show 2016 |
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Kate Chiconi with her quilt which won Best Of Show 2015
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Some winners from thee 2104 show. Marlena Hadley Best of Show
and Lynn Hammet Best Hand Quilting on Faye Cole's appliqued hexagon quilt
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| Faye Cole's Best of Show 2013 winning quilt |
Weekend Retreat
Each year we hold a weekend retreat at Broken River Retreat, Eungella. This is a great time of quilting and friendship. Usually, small workshops or demonstrations are held to show new techniques, as well as heaps of time to finish those UFO's or start a new one. This is an enjoyable weekend for all those who attend.
Greenmount Heritage Day
We are proud to be invited every year to display our quilts on this special day at the historic Greenmount Homestead, alongside a wealth of activities and displays celebrating the cultural heritage of Mackay and district.
The 2015 Heritage Day celebrated the Homestead's centenary and so a special historical display was required.
We chose the early 20th century and made some quilts in the style of the ubiquitous Australian Wagga.
Part of the display included a "Name the Doggie" competition which encouraged children and families to have a chat with us, enjoy the display, and purchase some raffle tickets. (The winner named him "Scotty", of course.)
A snapshot of our more modern colourful display. It provided a beautiful presentation for viewers and raised the profile of our club in the community. The Day is also a great opportunity to raise funds for our current charity, Headspace Mackay this year, through our quilt raffle.
North Queensland Show and Tell
Quilting groups from all over North Queensland come together biennially for the North Queensland Show and Tell. Bucasia Beach Quilters last hosted this in 2004. In 2006 it was held in Ayr and 2008 in Bowen. Townsville hosted the event in 2010 and Proserpine Chat and Patch hosted it in 2012. In 2014 it was back to the Burdekin again.
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