Volunteer Efforts Come in All Sizes!


Victoria of Bumble Beans Inc. from New York City lists this lovely tutorial of a star block paper piecing called Triangles Galore! on her blog. I fell in love at first site! I was inspired to paper piece again, just like that, I was busy photocopying again.
Victoria is a very generous person, as she inspires quilters new and experienced to embrace our inner voice to find peace and calm. She teaches others to quilt that need a comfort hobby to sooth their tangled nerves. 
I can relate to this philosophy, stitching after all was my literal salvation as a child. My mother was often away at hospital. I grew up for many years thinking hospital was a holiday place for "Mommies"! My mother was always happy again after a visit to the hospital. She taught me to sew by hand. I grew into embroidery and started with making doll dresses. I was intrigued from the beginning of sewing and have never left it. Playing with fabric was and remains to be an important creative hobby that I responded to and when I read about others doing good things, I began to think about my own volunteer activities.

What do I do that is reflective and service oriented for my organization?


Earlier this year I attended our BCWI Bulkley-Tweedsmuir Spring Conference. We gathered, different aged women, sisters of one organization that is traditional, firm in order and is growing into a new future.  We are rural and city women across BC and Canada. We are sisters with women all over our world through Associated Country Women of the World.

I say this in total respect of my sisters. I am in the company of some awesome women. We chatted, hugged and whispered our cheeky thoughts to close friends. We sat at tables with flowered vases,  sitting upon white tablecloths, green, yellow, white our provincial colors spread the cheer of spring across the room. I am in good company. Our branch of Quick WI had worked hard to get better at the annual changing challenges for the Fall Fair Competitions. We came in 2nd overall this year and this pleases us to no end!


We honor are members who have passed on with much formality that truly speaks to the person they were. Its important to honor our past and move forward with a thankful heart.


Our QWI Treasurer, Nola holds her proud contribution to our Quick WI, our new banner.  We have used the same one since 1936, so we thought it was really time for a new one. Nola's used our old one to upgrade our  new one, I think its an awesome job! Well done Nola.


Kind women who hold the traditions of meeting each other face to face to discuss tough, local and international issues is at the core of BCWI. We then take action of all sorts in our community's. Our sense of order stems directly from our beginnings from the mother country of England. We meet, recite the Mary Stewart Collect and carry on with our gathering.  The formalities of this kind of a conference was not lost on any of us.

We quickly and collectively formed one body of women, by the collective sigh, we committed to the solidarity of family and improving the lives of women before women worked outside the home and now as most women work outside the home!
Globally, we address and assist in disaster relief rebuilding, empowerment of women and education for all.

This above photo is our old banner from 1936.

How do I help my community?

I volunteer with Quick WI. I've been a member of BCWI on and off again since 1993, my mother was a member in the 1960's to 1990's and my grandmother was a founding member of the Chinley/Chapel en le Frith branch in Northern England in earlier years.
I volunteer with BCWI Board of Directors, assisting on projects.
I am lead artist on the volunteer Smithers Centennial Quilt Project.
I promote reuse, recycling, quilting and hand sewing to anyone who is interested in my work.

Victoria had no idea of her inspiration would lead to this posting! Thank you for your volunteer efforts Victoria!

Hope you've enjoyed a look inside the spring conference, we're proud to be part of the largest women's organization in the world!

All the best,

Carli

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