Hazel Ryder - Chair

Daughter, sister, wife, mum, granddaughter, auntie, godmother, sister-in-law, friend, chief cook, bottle washer, cleaner, laundry worker, taxi driver, personal shopper, accountant, gardener, decorator, fund raiser, committee member, secretary, Chair, organizer, instigator, pain in the neck, councilor, mediator, teacher, referee, a shoulder to cry on. And also a Passionate Quilter.

Cherie Cheetham - Membership

Dog lover, gardener, grandmother, craft lover - the order of precedence depends on the weather, and availability of my grand-daughters. I enjoy knitting, sewing, crochet, etc, as well as quilting, but prefer to be outdoors whenever possible. The Cavalier King Charles spaniel pictured, Daniel, now sadly no longer with us, was the catalyst for Hazel and I becoming friends when our paths crossed on the dog walk/school walk a few years ago, and is thus responsible for all that has happened since. Hazel's life was very peaceful before!

Bec Handyside - Secretary

I am a mum of two young boys, and I have only recently discovered the world of quilting and textiles through Hazel's quilting classes at Fleet library (and textiles classes at Odiham library). Life has not been the same since... my house rarely gets cleaned anymore, my 8-year-old son has learnt how to make his own meals and my husband decided to spend a fortune on a quieter sewing machine just so he could hear the TV! I also squeeze in a bit of swimming, gardening, reading and jewellery making.

Deb Hayes - Treasurer

I am a wife and mum to a daughter and a son. As both sets of parents live near us I'm quite involved in an extended family life. I have two sisters neither of whom have taken up the sewing gene. I'm 4th generation of prolific and professional seamstresses and tailors. I work as a senior occupational therapist in care of the elderly and serve as a school governor. In my spare time !! I like to quilt and share an allotment with Hazel Ryder. I also enjoy cooking and scrapbooking.

Sue Butterfield - Vice Chair

I have loved sewing and craft for as long as I can remember and have 'dabbled' in patchwork on a few occasions but it was only when I moved to Scotland that I joined a patchwork and quilting group (something to do in the long dark winters!)

I really enjoyed my introduction to various patchwork and quilting techniques and when I moved to Fleet ( to be near to my two children and two grandchildren ) in the summer of 2006, I sought a group of like minded people to continue my new hobby, or should I say 'lifestyle'! (my poor husband is petrified I am going to quilt a cover for his motorbike!)

I love Crazy patchwork and embellishment, but also the textile art type of stuff too and am now doing C&G cert in patchwork and quilting and can hardly wait to get on to the diploma course which will involve doing more unusual projects, but as my husband says "don't try to run before you can walk," so I will try to be patient and sew my samples neatly!

Cathy Park - Webmaster

After being forced by ill health into early retirement from teaching children with communication disorders, I took up crosstitch to save my sanity (!) A desire to learn how to make up my own designs rather than sewing other people's led me into four years of City & Guilds Embroidery and Design. Having to complete a sample of patchwork for my portfolio was one of the hardest things I did, and I told my tutor she'd never see another piece of patchwork from me!

Eight years later, just to keep my friend company, I went along to an Open Morning at Yateley School. There I saw the delicious goodies Hazel was offering to teach in her class at Fleet Library, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In the words of one of my embroidery friends, I 'went over' and now am an enthusiastic member of the Quilters' Guild of the British Isles, and in August 2010 I entered three pieces into the Festival of Quilts at the NEC! I love the Contemporary and Art Quilt styles of working, but my favourite activity is hand quilting.