Toowoomba Quilters Club celebrates 40 years with Carnival of Flowers exhibition

Whether it’s someone suffering from a personal disaster or living after a natural disaster, this group of staunchly dedicated quilters have been bringing comfort to the region for 40 years.

At the Toowoomba Quilters Club exhibition are members (from left) Janice Becker, Carol Bateman and Lee Hicks with an entry in the textile art challenge by Gail Johnson at Toowoomba Community Baptist Church, Thursday, September 19, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

A group of Toowoomba women (and one man) are celebrating 40 years together after working tirelessly for decades to help keep their community safe and snug.

The Toowoomba Quilters Club began in 1984 with a handful of passionate young women gripped by the quilting revival movement coming out of the United States at the time.

“They called themselves the Friday Nighters, they’d work all week as teachers and then get together on the Friday to quilt at someone’s home,” long-time member Janice Becker said.

“It was a very new sort of craft in those early days.

“They tell these amazing stories about how they would wait for the American quilting magazines at the newsagent each month and basically teach themselves from there, using whatever they had at the time.”

“It’s amazing, you’ve got to give them full credit,” she said.

Original Toowoomba Quilters Club members Margie Creek and Trish Ostwald at the New England Patchwork and Quilters Quilt Show in 1984 with visiting tutors (names unknown). Picture: Toowoomba Quilters Club

Forty years later, more than 140 women and one man, a farmer named Alton, band together each week to help their community in the best way they know how.

“We’re always helping somebody or doing something but that is what we enjoy doing at this stage in our lives,” Mrs Becker said.

“If there’s a disaster, like a fire or floods, we donate (quilts) to whoever needs them.

“We give quilts to stillbirth parents who get to keep the quilt as a memory of their babies.

“We make a lot now and give to the hospital and aged care facilities.”

The group is also always fundraising through quilting auctions and club initiatives.

“You name it, we’ve raised money for it,” Mrs Becker said.

“When you put it on paper and look at the whole list it’s quite impressive.”

Despite this, true to their nature, the quilters never stop to ask for thanks.

Challenge 2024 co-ordinator Genell Lilley celebrating 40 years at the Toowoomba Quilters Club exhibition at Toowoomba Community Baptist Church, Thursday, September 19, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“We’re always thrilled to receive a letter back to see how they’re appreciated but of course we don’t expect that from everybody,” Mrs Becker said.

“Our ladies in our club just like to put their skills to good use.”

The club supports each other as much as they do the community with many of the members now coming into retirement.

“It’s as much a social club as anything now,” Mrs Becker said.

“There’s quite a number of ladies that, as they get older, find they need that social interaction.

“It’s very valuable.

“It’s amazing who you meet, who is interested and who is a quilter.”

As part of this year’s Carnival of Flowers celebrations, the club is exhibiting more than 100 of their latest creations, with demonstrations, trade stands and handmade items on offer.

The exhibit is open every day until 2pm on Friday September 20 at the Toowoomba Community Baptist Church.

Originally published as Toowoomba Quilters Club celebrates 40 years with Carnival of Flowers exhibition