Quilters from Eype have spent two years working on a stunning quilt memory of their much-loved founder member Diana Davis, who died of Motor Neurone Disease.
The Schoolroom Quilters are raising money for the West Dorset branch of the MND Association with a raffle of the king-size quilt at their Quilt Show in St Peter’s Church in the village.
The church, which is known as Eype Centre for the Arts, will host their first exhibition for three years on June 25 and 26.
This year, the weekend event will showcase the craftsmanship of the group’s 13 members who together have spent the last two years working on this beautiful, hand stitched quilt, which is a copy of the quilt Diana was making for her daughter-in-law before the disease took hold and she could no longer sew.
Co-chair of The Schoolroom Quilters Diana Harvey said: “Diana was a very popular founder member who became ill with Motor Neurone Disease after she had started making a quilt for her daughter-in-law, because sometimes the diagnosis can be quite long. Diana was a very talented lady.
“The quilt was finished by the group, along with two other quilts Diana had started.”
During the coronavirus lockdown, each of the 13 group members, worked on the quilt separately at home, and once restrictions were lifted, members would sew the quilt together, with the masterpiece stretched out on a huge table in the old schoolroom.
Diana said: “Like most organisations in the past two years we had to put on hold our plans for The Quilt Show.
“Diana was the inspiration for our king-size quilt, which has been two years in the making, again with lockdown holding things up as we could not meet or sit closely to sew.
“However, when we were allowed to meet up again there was a concerted push to get the quilt finished.
“We are thrilled to be able to unveil the charity quilt to be raffled for this fantastic charity which does great work in supporting patients in West Dorset.”
“The show is a wonderful event, and the church is beautiful, with a path leading to the sea.
“There is also plenty of free parking.”
The late Diana helped start the Schoolroom Quilters some 15 years ago, and since then the group has grown to become a thriving creative hub for members who meet twice a month.
Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive disease that leads to weakness and wasting of muscles, causing increasing loss of mobility in the limbs, and difficulties with speech, swallowing and breathing. There is no cure.
Jane Hollands of the West Dorset MND branch said: “We support sufferers and their families in this area, by providing specialist equipment and/or adaptations to the home. The association also offers confidential emotional support and information to people affected by MND while helping them to remain as independent as possible.
“The help we give can make a real difference to the quality of our patients’ lives.”