Meet our Chairperson, Christa Gouws

Our new Chairperson, Christa Gouws, is an accomplished quilter who have been quilting since 2001. She has been working hard as secretary for the Oranje Quilters Guild for many years.  Christa is also group leader of the Stukkies quilt group.  

Christa with all the trophys she won at the 2022 Bloemshow

Most Outstanding Article Trophy

Best Freehand Machine Quilted Article Trophy

Most Entries Trophy

Below are some of Christa's quilts.

Christa's interest in quilting was tickled by her sister who lives in the Western Cape.  Quilting fabric was relatively scarce locally, but she eventually got a few pieces together and completed her very first quilt via instructions over the phone.  It was a Slash and Dash pattern with a pieced backing and a poor man's finish as binding.

Japanese quilt

Christa and a friend decided to join a quilting group and was accepted as members by the Rafels group under the direction of Rina Schutte.  They also joined the Oranje Quilters Guild in 2001.  It was a rather strange experience in the beginning between all the skilled quilters.

Friendship heart quilt

Christa is also a cat lover (as you can tell 😀) with beautiful pedigree Ragdolls who just loves to join in the fun of making quilts.  They are named Miki (short for Michaelangelo) and PC (Prince Charming).

Slash and Dash

Oliver, the owl - collage

Christa was always busy with one or another art form for example needlework, art needlework, painting (water and oil) etc.  At the beginning of her quilting journey, she mainly did traditional quilting but moved to the innovative and art quilt platform as is evident from her recent quilts.

Sunflowers -Thread Sketching

My Creative Book

Christa with husband Ruben, her pillar of strength and greatest supporter.

Ruben

Teddy Bear Outreach

Teddy Bears our members made for Rosepark Hospital, were handed out to the patients in hospital as well as staff working on Christmas Day.

Bookmark these dates

 Check back often as additional dates will be added regularly.

Bookmark these dates for 2023:

11 February 2023 - General Meeting 

(Hosted by Stukkie-vir-Stukkie)

18 March 2023 - National Quilt Day 

27 April to 6 May 2023 - Bloemshow 

12 May to 30 June 2023 - Travelling Exhibition at Anglo Boer Museum 

13 May 2023 - General Meeting 

(Hosted by Rotary Cutters and Gouedrade)

(Presentation by Alaë Gräbe)

2-3 June 2023 - Quilt Retreat 

(Art Quilts - Mari Strydom)

(Traditional Quilt - Annie du Toit)

16 June 2023 - Youth Day

28 June to 1 July 2023 - Quilt in Clarens 

Alaë Gräbe

19 August 2023 - General Meeting 

(Hosted by Quiltmakers)

(Presentation by Annie du Toit)

28 October 2023 - General Meeting

(Hosted by Uile)

(Presentation by Leanne Stewart)

General Meeting 19 November 2022

The last General Meeting for 2022 was held at the Universitas Faith Centre with every bit of space packed with beautiful quilts.  The meeting was attended by members from the surrounding areas as well.  The hostesses for the day were the Needles and Pins Group.

The last of the Outreach projects for 2022 was concluded with the donation of more than 100 teddy bears to Life Rosepark Hospital.  They will be handed out to patients as well as staff on Christmas Day.  Below is the coordinator of the project, Iessie Steenberg (left) and Juliana Hamlett of the hospital.

Juliana's heartfelt thank you note:

Liefste Iessie en kwilters,

Ek het vanmiddag elke beer sit gemaak, elkeen se gesiggie en uniekheid bewonder.

Dieselfde patroon, soveel kreatiwiteit, soveel uniekheid, soveel dankbaarheid!

My hart is vol van dankbaarheid.

Saam met hierdie bere het ons in totaal 350 hand gemaakte bere ontvang.

Nie alleen sal elke pasiënt wat op 25 Desember in die hospitaal is, 'n beer ontvang nie, maar ook elke personeellid wat onbaatsugtig hul diens lewer op Kersdag. 

Met hierdie beer projek, beeld ons HOOP uit vir elke ontvanger, HOOP op genesing, HOOP op 'n beter toekoms, en ook dat daar iemand is wat omgee.

Nogmaals baie dankie, ek waardeer elke liewe beer wat gemaak is, met soveel liefde 

Groete

Juliana Hamlett

Voorsitster Konsultasieforum

Rosepark Hospitaal

Some of the beautiful quilts on display.

Various vendors catered to the quilters needs.

The tables were decorated in the Christmas theme with different elves as well as little wooden reindeers with Lindt chocolate noses.

It was also time to say goodbye to Chairperson Nelia Venter

and welcome the new Chairperson, Christa Gouws.

The proud Show and Tell winner, Adie Dean on the left with Doretha Jacobs from the Needles and Pins group on the right.

The winning quilt is on the far right.

The guest speaker for the day, Rove Mittermaier from Bethlehem, did a demo on various paper piecing techniques and gave all present some new tips.

Esta Knoetze (left) thanked Rove for her participation in the day's events.  Rove is standing in front of her exquisite quilt with which she won a first prize in the Stellenbosch quilt Festival - the first quilt competition she entered.

Iessie Steenberg, OKG's well known quilt teacher, brought the Amper Sirkels Quilt to the meeting which she will be tutoring in 2023 via her Telekwilt group on WhatsApp.

Gerda Cronjé (left) was pleasantly surprised when she was announced as the winner of this beautiful quilt.  The blocks were made by various members of the OKG.

Juliana Hamlett of Life Rosepark Hospital was given the honor of drawing the winner.

A blessed Christmas to everybody.  We'll see you in 2023!