Nimble-fingered Larne ladies prepare for Christmas!

Wednesday August 10th 2016

The Parish Piecemakers of St Cedma’s Larne, are busy preparing for their Advent exhibition.

It’s summertime (apparently!) but for a group of nimble-fingered ladies in Larne, Christmas is never far from their thoughts.

For while some people are sunning themselves on beaches and enjoying various summer activities, the Parish Piecemakers from St Cedma’s are toiling over angels, stars, shepherds and other Christmas images, creatively piecing together a festive quilt display.

The group, which has been meeting weekly in St Cedma’s for the past 10 years or so to stitch and chat, is working on a very unique project. The results will on display in the church during Advent in an exhibition of quilts depicting the Christmas story as revealed in the nine lessons of the traditional carol service.

PARISH HALL

Class leader Anne Marcus came up with the idea of an exhibition to raise funds for the proposed new parish hall, and the Piecemakers started work on the project in January.

Anne said: “It has been fabulous – it started as an idea and from there we have designed and made a set of original wall-hangings in patchwork sewn and quilted nearly entirely by hand. There was no great plan, rather the thing has grown organically as we talked, looked at ideas and sewed very hard!”

Quilts for Advent will open in St Cedma’s Parish Church on Saturday November 26 at 2pm and from then will be open each Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 2-4 pm for three weeks (November 26 & 27, December 3 & 4 and December 10 & 11). Teas will be served in the adjoining hall.

A full report on this fantastic project will appear in the Autumn issue of the diocesan magazine Connor Connections.