Southampton sewing group set up in lockdown create quilts for refuge charities

The Southampton Sewing Social group on Facebook was created amid the first national lockdown in April 2020 to provide much-needed items including scrub bags to healthcare workers.

Boasting over 300 members, the group now directs its efforts towards supporting charities of members' choice through crafty creations.

The latest sewing endeavour saw members knit, sew or crochet squares to be made into quilts, with a variety of contributions gathered for the final products.

One of the quilts made by the Southampton Sewing Social group

Group organiser Penny Eames, 61, a retired nurse from Shirley, said: "We started the group in the first lockdown and we made bags for nurses to put their uniforms in for when they needed to go in the washing machine.

"It snowballed from there and lots of people either donated material or made bags for the washing. By July to August 2020 we supplied enough bags.

"Somebody recently suggested we could knit or crochet squares to be made into quilts for charity, and we collected about 150 squares.

"Malgorzata Banjo makes gorgeous quilts so we gave her the squares we made and she produced a double quilt and a large, small quilt and gorgeous bags to put the quilts in.

"It’s up to the group what they want to do with the quilts, but we will probably donate them to a refuge charity or refugees.

"The refuge charity suggestion seems to come up the most amongst the members, and the chosen charities can do what they want with the quilts."

Although members of the group have yet to meet in real life and hold an in-person meeting, everyone continues to rally together and sew for good causes.

One of the quilt bags made by the Southampton Sewing Social group

Penny hopes the efforts of the group continue in the future.

She said: "We were blown away by how quickly the group snowballed. When we did the bags for the nurses, we had a phenomenal number of donations, it was incredible.

"People wanted to help and they thought enough of us to put something together and help. It was amazing really.

"The group is all done online and through word of mouth. After we made the bags, the group transitioned online, and people were asking ‘what can we do now?’ and we decided we wanted to do something for charity. Now, we will see how it goes."