MOSSBANK — About halfway down Main Street in Mossbank is a building with two doors. Emblazoned on the window beside one door is The Tot Spot and on the other is Quirky Quilters. The quilting group gathers every Wednesday for a day of bustling activity.
This group wasn’t always called the Quirky Quilters, and they didn’t always use this building.
In 2001, the Evangelical Lutheran Ladies started a quilting group with a mission was to make quilts for the homeless.
As with any volunteer group, newcomers are always welcome and heartily encouraged to join. At the time, they met in the basement of the Lutheran Church. Fast forward to October of 2022, and the latest membership of quilters acquired the space they now inhabit. At the end of December in 2022, the Lutheran Church officially closed, which had prompted the group to find a new home. The latest group created a new name to go with the space. They have expanded their mission to include disaster situations, Transition House, Carmichael Outreach in Regina, Legion veterans, Kate’s Place Regina Rehab, Nipawin Oasis Community Centre, Good Neighbour Society, Salvation Army and Joel’s Harbour.
In the organized set of rooms is a quilting haven that is used in an assembly line. Several rooms have closets, and every available space has a shelving unit where the material, quilt tops, sheets, quilts and other items are sorted and stored. One room holds the three donated and one purchased sewing machines, where the quilt tops are sewn together. Another room has a table where the quilt tops are designed and the tops, batting and backs are put together. A third room holds the quilt frame where the new quilt is mounted, and several ladies do the final stitching. There is a central area where quilt blocks are cut in readiness for the next quilt top pattern.
In the front entrance, the finished quilts hang on a laundry rack. Each of the ladies has a niche where her talents are used.
One quilt was given to the public library for its current silent auction, and another was given to the museum to hold a raffle so the Ambroz House floor could be replaced.
The quilting group holds raffles to raise money to buy batting, as that is the one thing no one donates. At this point they have material from the 1950s, as someone’s grandma passed away and the material was donated. Used jeans, work pants, material, sheets, thread, yarn and all quilting paraphernalia is always welcome and greatly appreciated.
Unfortunately, none of the original members are still in the current group. The Quirky Quilters wish to say a huge and heartfelt thank you for the donations of all quilting items, sheets, backings, material, quilts or any other donations received.
