By Helena Adeloju
When Cheryl Billing Smith decided to sew a quilt as a 21st birthday gift, she had no idea that it would become a decades-old passion.
“I took the challenge of making my daughter a quilt,” she said.
“It was pretty much my first quilt.”
That was 22 years ago.
Since then, Cheryl said it has become a case of “I quilt, therefore I am.”
Cheryl said she quilts because sewing is in her DNA.
She is “eternally grateful” to her mother and aunt who she credits with setting her on the road to quilting bliss.
“My mother taught me to sew, and my aunt Rene taught me to love craft, she did patchwork projects,” she said.
“It was my aunt that set me on the road with craft of all kinds, so I am eternally grateful to both those gorgeous ladies for instilling in me my love of this fabulous, exciting passion.”
Her love of quilting has also extended to teaching over the last 20 years.
“I absolutely adore the challenge of teaching others,” she said.
“To watch them learn and grow within a class room environment is such a privilege. My students range in age from their 80s down to teenagers.”
Cheryl believes that her patchwork, quilting and sewing as well as her classes for groups are part of a bigger picture that includes socialising, developing friendships, reducing isolation and caring for each other.
“I also teach and run a Sudanese women’s sewing group in Pakenham,” she said.
“We sew out of St Pats library room on a Thursday and the ladies make some amazing gowns and dresses.
Cheryl said it was hard to decide what she loves best about quilting.
“Only quilters know the passion, the love, the adoration and the very drive we have to create beautiful projects,” she said.
