Welcome
Ash Valley Quilters is a friendly group of enthusiastic quilters at all levels of ability, from beginners to the more experienced.
Ash Valley Quilters Exhibition will be held on
17 & 18 May 2025
About Us
Our aim is to draw together and encourage people with an interest in patchwork and quilting, and help them to develop the appropriate skills through talks from invited speakers and meetings for practical work. Workshops and occasional exhibitions or other types of meeting (social) are also held. Why not come along to one of our meetings and give it a try? Visitors are always welcome.
Ash Valley Quilters was formed in January 1996 by Pauline Adams and Sue Waugh, and both remain life members. The Group meets on the third Thursday evening of every month at The Memorial Hall, The Forebury, Sawbridgeworth, CM21 9BD, arrive from 7pm to start at 7.30pm.
Ash Valley Quilters' Newsletter
ASH VALLEY QUILTERS’ NEWSLETTER
April 2024
Thursday 18th April - Carolyn Forster – How I got here today. An informative talk covering Carolyn’s sewing journey from her first to her most recent quilt, from starting as a novice to being able to write books on many aspects of quilting.
Friday 19th April - Carolyn Forster workshop – Utility Quilting. Simple solutions for faster hand quilting, a chance to learn some Farmhouse style and big stitch quilting techniques including tying and buttoning. You can bring a finished quilt or samples to work on (suggested five 12 inch squares with one 20 inch, layered with wadding and backing ready to quilt, on which you can draw lines to follow). Always something new to learn from the experts!
Thursday May 16th - Nodeen Salmon - Machine Embroidery
Saturday 8th June - Workshop - Scrap Busting
Thursday 20th June - Strawberry Fair
2025 AVQ Exhibition – 17th and 18th May 2025 Please start to think about helping towards the exhibition, more hands make light work!
Carpark - Please don’t forget the system for the carpark at the hall, all drivers must register their car on the system inside the hall or fines will follow.
Name tags and mugs – Please remember to bring your name tag on its lanyard and your mug for tea/coffee. Thank you.
Building works – Please remember the building works at the Memorial Hall and take care around the building and in the car park.
Your fabric scraps for charity. Remember your ‘Rags’ bags in support of St Clare’s Hospice. Jackie Nash or Hazel Sugarman are happy to deliver them to St Clare’s for you.
Website – The Ash Valley Quilters website, http://www.ashvalleyquilters.com has details of the programme for 2024, the events and shows list for 2024 along with a copy of the latest newsletter. It provides all the information about the group needed by visitors & members.
Charity quilt “houses” – The committee are still working on the task of completing the quilt in preparation for its journey to Festival of Quilts!
Last meeting in March – We all enjoyed Melanie Missin-Keating – My Indian Textile Adventure. A chance to feel like we had been on the journey with her to India to see the wonderful colours and amazing work.
2024 Quilt Show Dates
26 - 28 April Big 24 Exhibition, region 8, at Rougham, Bury St Edmunds (details below)
16 – 19 May Quilts UK, Malvern
14 - 16 June National Patchwork Championships, Kempton Park Racecourse
1 - 4 August The Festival of Quilts, The NEC, Birmingham
10 - 13 October Knitting & Stitching Show, Alexander Palace
18 - 20 October Quilt UK, Malvern
1 - 3 November Autumn Quilt Show, Duxford
2025 Quilt show dates
17 - 18 May AVQ Exhibition
With best wishes
The AVQ Committee
EXHIBITION OF QUILTS
Come and see this wonderful Big 24 Exhibition, a celebration of the fantastic work by quilters throughout East Anglia, including members of the Quilters Guild of the British Isles.
The exhibition will be officially opened by The Quilters Guild President, Sheila Evans, on Friday 26th April, with over 90 individual quilts being shown from members of Region 8 of The Quilters Guild and 19 of its Affiliated Groups within Essex and Suffolk.Visitors have the opportunity to get involved and vote for their favourite quilt in the “Visitors’ Choice” competition and to enter a daily Sewing Themed Tombola, Handmade Bag Auction and Raffle, with tickets £1 each (cash only please).
The Exhibition Competition theme is “8” and has over 30 entries of A3 size quilts, which will be on display in the entrance area and will be judged by Sheila.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A SHOWCASE OF THE WORK OF FORMER REGION 8 COMMITTEE MEMBER HELEN VIVIAN: “A LIFETIME IN QUILTING”, AND A CHANCE TO SEE THE WONDERFUL DENMAN QUILT MADE BY MEMBERS OF THE FEDERATION OF ESSEX WIS DEPICTING SPECIAL PLACES OF ESSEX.
26th, 27th April 10.00am to 16.00 pm 28th April 10.00am to 15.00pm
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham,
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Sat Nav: IP30 9HZ
How to join us
Why not come along to one of our monthly meetings (the third Thursday of the month, arrive from 7.00pm, meeting starts at 7.30pm) at the Memorial Hall, The Forebury, Sawbridgeworth - we always have some application forms at our meetings.
Our year runs from January to December. We hold our AGM at our January meeting, the next one will take place in January 2024, when we ask everyone to renew their membership. So, don't forget to bring your cheque book or cash. After the AGM we have a Fish and Chip supper, please let us know if you would like us to order some for you. Julie Finbow or any other member of the committee will be happy to take your booking.
Alternatively, if you would like to join before the next meeting, then please send us an e-mail via this site and we will send you an application form and details of where to send it with your joining fee. The 2024 annual membership fee is £25.00. This is reviewed each year at our AGM. Visitors are charged £5.00 per meeting and members £3.00.
Programme for 2024
- January 18th - AGM with Fish and Chip Supper and Quiz
- February 15th - Practical evening
- March 9th - Workshop - UFO's
- March 21st - Melanie Missin-Keating - My Indian Textile Adventure
- April 18th - Carolyn Forster - How I got here today
- April 19th - Carolyn Forster Workshop - Utility Quilting
- May 16th - Nodeen Salmon - Machine Embroidery
- June 8th - Workshop - Scrap Busting
- June 20th - Strawberry Fair
- July 18th - Rosemary Muntus - Boro and the Japanese Approach to Sustainable Art
- July 19th - Rosemary Muntus Workshop - Japanese Stichery meets 'Make do and Mend'
- August 15th - Members Social
- September 19th - Gail Lawther - Trip around the World
- September 20th - Gail Lawther workshop - Low Tide
- October 12th - Workshop - Bags
- October 17th - Practical evening
- November 21st - Lis Binns - Tips, Tricks and Tools
- November 22nd - Lis Binns workshop - Machine Trapunto
- December 19th - Giant show and tell.
Exhibitions, shows and classes
8 to 10 March - Spring Quilt Show at Duxford
16 to 19 May - Quilt UK at Malvern
14 - 16 June - National Patchwork Championships at Kempton Park Racecourse
1 to 4 August - The Festival of Quilts at The NEC, Birmingham
10 to 13 October - Knitting & Stitching show at Alexandra Palace
18 to 20 October - Quilt UK at Malvern
1 to 3 November - Autumn Quilt show at Duxford
Committee
Chair Julie Finbow
Secretary (including Web Site) Terry Millson
Treasurer Lindy McChesney-Tilley
Programme Secretary Jan Butler
Workshop Bookings Ami Richards
Refreshments Theresa Pye
Raffle Carol McVie and Jacqui Michie
An Annual General Meeting is held at the January meeting each year. At this meeting, the Chairman's and Treasurer's reports are presented and any new committee members agreed or ratified. Any changes to the annual subscription are proposed for agreement by members present, so as to become immediately effective for the current year.
Find Us
Address
Meet
We meet on the
3rd Thursday of the month 7.00 for 7.30pm start.
Directions
DIRECTIONS to Memorial Hall from Bishops Stortford.
Take the A1184, Cambridge Road, south. As you come into Sawbridgeworth, turn left at 2 mini roundabouts into Station Road and after about 100 yards, turn right into Knight Street. Turn left into the Forebury and the Memorial Hall is on your left opposite a school., You can park either behind the hall or in the road.
DIRECTIONS to Memorial Hall from Harlow.
Take the A1184, Cambridge Road, north. As you come into Sawbridgeworth, turn right by the White Horse pub into Bell Street and at the T-junction, left into Knight Street. The turning to the Forebury is on the right, about half way down the street and the Memorial Hall is on your left opposite a school.
DIRECTIONS TO OSCA, HENHAM from Bishops Stortford.
Our workshops are held at OSCA (Old School & Community Association) premises, Crow Street, Henham, CM22 6AG.
In Stansted turn down Chapel Hill, and at the bottom turn left into Lower Street, bear right and go up the hill, over the traffic lights and keep on into Elsenham village. Go straight over the double roundabouts by the shops and carry on through the village. Once through the village then take the next turning on your left - signposted Henham and follow the road into Henham village.
OSCA (The Old School) is on the right by the green. It's a red brick building and looks like an old school! Turn down the path and then left into the old school playground.
* if you get to the war memorial- you've gone too far! (but only just)
