A charity and teaching guild
NOTICE:
Anyone interested in joining the guild, please feel free to contact us at tsqguild@gmail.com and we will be sure to give you information on how to join the guild as a guest or a member.
Want to become a member? Download the attached membership form
2023 membership form
QUILT SHOW this October - see details under QUILT SHOW
Our Executive
The Twisted Stitchers is a registered Canadian Charity Quilt Guild that meets on the second Tuesday of each month from September to June at Pickering Village Senior's Centre, 29 Linton Ave, Ajax. Our social time begins at 6:30 p.m. and our meeting starts at 7:00. Guests are welcome at all meetings except our December and June meetings when we hold our pot-lucks and elections. Guests are required to give a $7.00 donation.
Click on address above for map and directions
Click on the Programs menu item for more information.
General meetings regularly include:
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guest speakers
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instructional sessions
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vendor presentations
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charity updates and work to be completed
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show and tell
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short business sessions
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social time
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50/50 draw
Click on the Contact Us link for membership information.
The quilt in the banner picture is one that was made to pay for a room at the Ajax Community Centre for our first quilt show as guild funds were low. It depicts many areas and components that make up the town of Ajax. Maggie Hannigan designed the quilt and the members of the guild contributed blocks. It is located in a hallway in the Town of Ajax's municipal building.
The Twisted Stitchers Quilt Guild began in 2005 in Ajax, just east of Toronto, with only 25 enthusiastic members who all shared the same love of quilting.
The guild has grown to up to 70 extremely talented members who are not only committed to sharing their skills and knowledge with each other, but are equally committed to using their talents to produce quilts and other items for charities. The Ajax-Pickering Hospital, the NICU and Long Term Care sections of the hospital, The Salvation Army, Herizon House, Community Care, Ballycliffe Lodge, Toronto General Hospital, Winbourne Longterm Care, Children's Aid, Rose of Durham, Meals on Wheels, Community Living, Project Linus, Quilts of Valour, The Children’s Wish Foundation, and Sick Children’s Hospital are just some of the charities to which we have donated.
At Twisted Stitchers Quilt Guild meetings we enjoy guest speakers, mini workshops, challenges, a show-and-tell of members’ work, fat-quarter frenzy and pot-luck dinners. The most important aspect about the guild, other than sharing our love of quilting, is the friendships we develop and the laughs we have at meetings.
The Twisted Stitchers Guild welcomes all quilters, regardless of skill level, and anyone else who wants to learn more about the art of quilting while helping the community.
To create an open and welcoming environment in which to further promote the art of quilting to those members of our community, regardless of skill level, who wish to come and share in this art.
To freely teach and develop quilting skills and to advance education in the art of quilting with our members by providing structured workshops led by qualified quilting instructors.
To donate constructed quilts and other requested items to organizations that assist the disadvantaged for the benefit of the community at large (e.g. donating quilts to hospitals, seniors’ homes, and any other charitable organizations within the community.)
Our History
Our Past Presidents
Linda Kennedy
2022-2024
Marj Rempel
2020-2022
Gaile Statkus
2019-2020, 2018-2019
Marilyn Stuart
2017-2018, 2016-2017
Leona Kershaw
2015-2016, 2014-2015
Fran Sancroft
2013-2014
Maggie (Hannigan) McDonald
2012-2013
Sharon Galna
2011-2012, 2010-11, 2009-2010
Sharon Galna / Maggie (Hannigan) McDonald
2008-2009
Sharon Galna
2007-2008
Marcie Lane
2006-2007, 2005-2006
Written by Sharon Galna, May 2020
My friend, Marcie Lane, and I had both been members of 2 or 3 other guilds in Durham Region, but were wondering why there wasn't an existing one in Ajax. Marcie took it upon herself to start up a guild in our own town. Her best friend, Nadine MacDonald, was the original secretary, our friend Shahena Fredricks (who now owns Cozy Quilts in Port Hope, Ontario), was the first treasurer, and I was voluntold that I would be the vice-president.
It was a lot of work, but soooo much fun, getting the guild off the ground during those first couple of years. Our very first meeting was in September 2005 with only 25 members and it was held in the basement of a strip plaza on Bayly Street that had an accountants office and real estate office on the ground floor.
Together, Marcie and Nadine decided that they wanted both a charity and teaching component as the focus for the guild. Nadine's daughter had been in and out of Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto for years so she saw what the children went through while there. Many of our first charity quilts were for the children staying at the hospital as well as covers for the isolette incubators to darken them for the babies as well as to brighten the nursery.
The first teaching component that we did was called TOM (technique of the Month). Each month one of us on the executive (all 4 of us!) would offer up a technique and demonstration for our members to learn. Since there wasn't any money left from membership (once we paid rent) everything we did or bought for guild for the first 3 years came out of our own pockets, but it was well worth it.
Soon many other ladies from other guilds heard about how much fun our guild had and the new members kept rolling in. I believe, now in 2020, that there are only 2 or 3 of the original members still with TSQG.
Marcie was President for the first 2 years, I ended up staying on the executive for 10 years, 5 of those as both president and program coordinator. The more recent executives have added their own flavour to our wonderful guild with great speakers, demos, charity, Ketchup Days and Staycation.
Marcie has since passed away, but the guild is still thriving thanks to her original vision.