Pigeon Inlet quilting group to hold huge show in Bay Roberts
By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Olivia Bradbury
The Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild, a large group of quilters who meet in Bay Roberts, will hold a show in July to display their creations and celebrate their 20th anniversary.
The Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild was started by five women from the Bay Roberts area who quilted together once a week and called themselves the Stitch Group. They were members of the Baccalieu Quilters’ Guild in Dildo, and eventually decided to form a guild of their own. They initially set a maximum of 25 members, which they quickly recruited. Thus, the Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild was born.
Now, 20 years after it’s inception, the guild has 70 members. While most are from the Conception Bay North region, members hail from all across the Avalon Peninsula. Members meet at the Search and Rescue building in Bay Roberts on the second Tuesday of each month. They also have two workdays a month on which they either follow a program or work on their own respective projects.
Pat Ivimey has been a member of the Pigeon Inlet Quilters’ Guild since the beginning. “The best thing about this guild is that everyone is so willing to share their knowledge, and we help each other out,” she said.
Not only do members share expertise, but also gladly give their time and even materials to one another.
“It’s a real sisterhood, really, beyond quilting,” said Ivimey. “It’s just you rely on everybody. You form lifelong friendships.”
The guild does a lot of charity work, taking on one project a year. They have donated quilts to organizations such as Daffodil House, the Janeway, the chemo unit at Carbonear General Hospital, O’Shaughnessy House, the Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation, and the Baccalieu Trail SPCA. Most recently, they made over 20 quilts for those affected by the fires in CBN.
“We are a not-for-profit organization, and we can’t give anybody money, but we can give them product,” said Ivimey. Sometimes organizations make thousands of dollars by selling tickets on the donated quilts. The guild donated a quilt to Ascension Collegiate as a ‘thank you’ for hosting two of their past quilt shows, and the school was able to sell it at their yearly auction.
In addition to quilts, the guild has also made hats for cancer patients and heart-shaped pillows for people with breast cancer. They also make comfort quilts to give to guild members when they are going through a hard time, such as battling illness or dealing with a personal loss.
Ivimey is on the committee for the upcoming quilt show Seams Like Yesterday, which will be the guild’s third. The show will take place at the Bay Arena in Bay Roberts from July 24th to 26th. Admission will be $5 and paid at the door. There will be over 200 quilts on display, all made by guild members.
Four vendors will be selling sewing supplies at the event. Furthermore, the show will feature the Quilters’ Boutique, where various quilts made by the guild will be available for purchase.
“That will be everything from a little landscape picture to a king-sized quilt,” said Ivimey. “Everything in between. Lots of table runners, baby blankets, baby quilts.”
Money raised from the show will help cover its expenses, and any additional funds will be put away for the guild’s next show.
Ivimey says that the guild welcomes everyone regardless of their level of quilting experience. Most members are retired, but people of any age can join. While the guild currently only has female members, men are also welcome. There is a waitlist due to the guild’s popularity. Anyone interested in joining the guild can email Cathy Johnson at cathyj720@gmail.com.