Visitors will put sole to pedal to sew for the soul at the fourth It Started With a Stitch exhibition by the Westshore Quilters’ Guild.
“We just invite people to come and sit down at machines and do some stitching,” explained organizer Darlene Masson. “It’s nice to have other people involved in some of the other things we do.”
It’s the second time they’ve had show guests participate in the creation of quilts for the guild’s main charity, Cridge Transition House for Women. The goal is to complete at least four quilts.
“If you have participation like that more people want to get involved,” Masson said. “People are more prepared to join in and it lets people know (quilting is) for all ages. This is not just for retirees and grannies that like to sew. We have a lot of younger people involved in the guild.”
It’s also an opportunity to fulfill other charity obligations members of the guild pursue, from creating quilts to replace those at Victoria Hospice to quilts for wounded Canadian Forces members.
“The show is there to let everybody know what the guild is all about and also this is one of the ways we can earn money toward what we do for donations that go out to these places,” Masson said.
The 136 members hail from the West Shore to James Bay to Central Saanich and will come together for the show and sale that will feature a fan favourite vote in each quilt category. A Name That Movie block challenge will test knowledge of popular movies. Children can participate in a scavenger hunt and vendor booths and a guild store will round out the event.
It Started with a Stitch runs March 22 to 24 at Eagle Ridge Community Centre, 1089 Langford Pkwy. Open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., admission is $6 for the weekend.
Learn more online at westshorequiltersguild.com.