“People never understand why we cut a small piece of fabric into even smaller pieces, only to sew them all together again to make one big piece,” the chairperson of the Country Quilters’ Guild, Natasha O’Brien, told members of Klub 50 on 24 March. The Country Quilters were guests at the club’s weekly meeting.
She explained how an organisation called the Carletonville Quilters was established when they held their first meeting in the Carletonville Library on 5 June 1986. Alida Sharpe, Alta Pothas, Hannetjie Dos Santos and Kitty Hendriks were the founder members.
The guild soon grew to 14 members and later became part of the umbrella structure called the Western Transvaal Quilters in Potchefstroom. Soon after this structure changed its name to the “Goue Weste Kwilters Gilde”, the local quilters also changed their name to the Country Quilters’ Guild.
Another highlight in the guild’s history was when they first opened a bank account at the Post Office with a balance of R282.
Dos Santos designed their own badge.
The guild currently has 15 members. Although most of the avid quilters are from Carletonville, they even have a member from Heidelberg in the Western Cape, another from Fochville and two from Parys. One member, Barbara van Jaarsveld, is a master quilter and has won many awards for her creations. They have also been displayed at many other guilds and SAQG (the South African Quilting Guild). Another member, Alida Sharpe, received special recognition in the form of the “Mama Africa” title for teaching many men and women from around the country to quilt.
The Country Quilters meet at the NG Church in Vlei Street, Oberholzer, every third Thursday of the month. Their next meeting will be at 10 Agnew Road on 21 April. Evening guild meetings take place in Fochville for people who work during the day; their next meeting is on 26 April.
All the members participate in compe- titions every two years.
The quilters also try and help people in need. Their current project is gathering toiletries and small treats and putting them in decorated ice cream tubs for the less fortunate. During Thursday’s meeting, the guild members displayed some of the quilts they had made over the years, using various techniques and materials.To learn to quilt or join the guild, contact O’Brien at 082 331 5059.
