Patchwork quilt celebrating Alderley Edge to be unveiled at Village Show

A group of Oxfam volunteers and supporters have put together a community quilt which is dedicated to groups, businesses and places in Alderley Edge.

Almost 40 people have been involved in the project which started on Mothering Sunday in March 2014 and has been led by Oxfam volunteer Anne Hillier.

Packs of recycled fabric hexagons were available from the Oxfam shop for people to make up a flower to be stitched onto the Alderley Edge Community Quilt, which is based on a 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' patchwork design.

Anne Hillier said "This proved very popular and enough flowers were returned to make up two quilts of which this is the first."

Motifs have then been embroidered onto the central hexagon of some flowers to represent institutions, businesses and places of significance in Alderley Edge.

The flowers are dedicated to the people who live, learn, work, shop and play in Alderley Edge including: St Philips & St James Church, the library and bookclubs, Alderley Edge Community Primary School, The Edge, allotments, the Alderley Edge Festival, scouts and guides and Oxfam, as well as some local businesses and long term resident of Alderley Edge Betty Reynolds.

Anne added "A small group then met regularly to sew the flowers together with white hexagons in between and around the border. With a little help from Patchfinders in Cheadle (since moved to Poynton), we learnt how to quilt and bind the patchwork.

"It has all been done by hand (except for sewing the binding to the front of the quilt) and made with material donated to Oxfam or bought from The Fent Shop in Macclesfield."

The Alderley Edge Community Quilt was finished in July 2015 and will have its first outing at the Alderley Edge Village Show which is being held at Alderley Edge School for Girls from 12noon to 4.45pm on Saturday, 22nd August.

The group hope to sell the quilt to raise money for Oxfam and then start on the next one.

Anne said "We are looking to raise a large sum of money by selling the quilt to support the global and local projects that Oxfam is involved in and, at this stage, would be happy to accept sealed bids to the Oxfam Shop.

"We are also looking for ideas and sponsorship for dedications for the flowers on the second quilt. Please contact Anne Hillier or leave a message in the shop."