DEDICATED quilters, business partners and close friends Katy Ciacia and Sandy Thompson couldn’t be happier that their daughters also have the quilting bug – and this is the first year that all six of them have entered quilts in the Canberra Quilters Annual Members’ Exhibition.

“My girls, Talitha, 13, and Caylin, 11, both started showing an interest in quilting when they were about five, and although they had short attention spans at that point, they were keen to sew!” says Sandy.

“I would put the foot pedal on a stool so they could reach it and do as much as possible themselves.”

Katy says she learned everything about quilting from Sandy, and the knowledge then filtered down to her daughters Maddy, 12, and Gabbi, 10.

“They were keen to have a go, and it’s been a really lovely way to spend quality time with them,” she says.

The exhibition will run until August 11 at EPIC in Mitchell, with around 180 quilts and garments entered across 16 categories. There also will be demonstrations of machine patchwork from Quilts for Others, and visitors will have the chance to buy handmade treasures.

The group already has several awards under their belts – particularly talented Talitha – and they are hoping for some more wins this year.

Katy says that while their entries for this year have already been submitted, they have a large stash of fabric at home and many more quilts in the pipeline.

“It’s a great way to meet people and I love the sense of community among quilters in Canberra,” says Katy.

“I enjoy the artistic aspect of it but it’s also relaxing for me; it’s my time out, my headspace away from work.”

 Canberra Quilters Annual Members’ Exhibition, until August 11, 10am-4.30pm daily at EPIC.

TOP PHOTO: From left, Gabbi, Maddy and Katy Ciacia, with Sandy, Talitha and Caylin Thompson and last year’s entry “Aussie Thongs”, designed by Sandy. Photo by Andrew Finch