Sew good…village quilters celebrate the positive memories of lockdown

The Hurworth Sewers drew on their positive memories of the lockdowns to create a magnificent quilt, hoping to reflect the community spirit and sense of togetherness they believe characterised those difficult days.

Eight members of the Hurworth Sewers, from the village near Darlington, spent lockdown using their skills to support others by crafting fabric hearts for people to share with loved ones in hospital, making scrubs bags for hospital staff, and sewing face masks.

When these were no longer needed, the group looked for new projects, and attention turned to a quilt.

The quilt on display in Hurworth Village Hall

Judith Aston, who rallied the group to undertake the project, said: “During lockdown, the things we were crafting were really making a difference for families going through very difficult times. The whole Hurworth community was amazing throughout lockdown, and we just wanted to do something for the village to remember the wonderful community spirit, and some of the great initiatives that all came about during lockdown.

“When squares started to come in, I was absolutely blown away by the memories that were in there, and all of the positivity.”

The quilt is composed of ten squares, and commemorates events like the ‘teddy bears in windows’ appeal, the Protect the NHS campaign, and the opening of the Hurworth bus stop library.

Village residents Tracie Jacobs, Joan Simpson, Margaret Fawcett, Maria Hadley, Linda Scott, Diane Hurst, and Judith Aston all contributed squares, and the quilt has now been donated to Hurworth Village Hall, where it will be displayed for visitors to enjoy.