A day of creativity and community
On Saturday 15 March, our patchwork community came together for the highly anticipated Victorian Quilters Summer Gathering, a day brimming with creativity, camaraderie, and quilting excitement. The event kicked off with a relaxed sit and sew session, where members—both seasoned quilters and beginners—stitched, shared stories, and bonded over their shared passion for patchwork. We had 62 people in attendance with 30 of those being Waverley Patchworkers members. Marion, our marvel, made scones and other Waverley members made cakes for morning tea.
One of the standout moments of the day was an inspiring talk by our guest speaker, Rivka Waxman. Rivka showcased her three remarkable quilts—yellow, pink, and blue—which intricately represent the 50 states of America with 2 blocks sewn to the back of two of the quilts. The applique blocks ranging between 200-300 individual pieces with some have over 400 pieces! Rivka was able to purchase the patterns from USA suppliers, but not all were available. She made her own patterns for some of the states. The images represent the native flower, tree, bush, animal, insect, bird, amphibian, fruit, industry, food etc. Rivka captivated us all with her insights and creative journey.
Adding to the day’s excitement, a variety of shops set up stalls, offering a delightful array of fabrics, notions, and quilting supplies. We would like to thank Sewn and Quilted, Made in a Pleasance and Lilly Patches for trading on the day. It was the perfect opportunity for a bit of retail therapy, allowing everyone to stock up on essentials and discover new materials to fuel their creativity.
The Vic Quilters Summer Gathering was a resounding success, filled with learning, laughter, and plenty of patchwork. We left feeling re-energized and inspired, already looking forward to our next opportunity to come together and celebrate the art of quilting.
Below we have an image of Rivka with one of her quilts and all three quilts that she made.
