Susanna Freymark
On a warming Sunday afternoon, the hall at McKees Hill is filled with chatter and busy hands at the monthly Northern Rivers Crafternoon.
About 20 people gather around tables to knit, crochet, cut out squares of material, sew, paste cardboard and make macrame. As they do all this, they talk, laugh and eat moist orange cake between cups of tea.
The Crafternoons at the Clovass-McKees Hill Soldiers Memorial Hall have been going for a year, started by Grace Eppelstun who moved to the area from “out west” and wanted to meet new people.
“When I moved here, I didn’t know anyone,” she said.
A knee injury (twice) from playing football meant the usual way to meet people through sport wasn’t an option for her.
“I took up crocheting,” Grace said.
Then, she decided to she start a craft group.
“I’ve made friends here – it’s an eclectic mixture of people.”
The people in the group are aged from their mid 20s to those in their 90s.
Anne Cork and Trish Corrigan live in Casino and love to come out to McKees Hill for Crafternoons.
“If Trish goes, I go,” Anne said as she can’t drive, and Trish can.
Trish shows her detailed hand applique of a chicken – it is beautifully sewn and the chicken is fun as its character leaps off the material.
“I like to do craft, it’s relaxing,” Trish said.
She makes knitted coat hangers too.
“I do a bit of everything,” she said.
“I learned from going to craft shops in Brisbane.”
Her friend Anne has lived in Tabulam, Pretty Gully, Mallanganee and Casino. She started sewing when she was five years old. She also worked at City Club Apparel in South Lismore.
“I went to a quilting class,” Anne said.
She likes coming to the Crafternoons to go on an outing.
Val Ferris has driven from Lynchs Creek Rd, near Kyogle, because Grace “dobbed her in”.
They both work at Kyogle High School and have taught students to crotchet.
Val is a designer and teacher of crochet and is a member of the Australian Crochet Guild.
She is making special items for Grace’s wedding in a month.
For the children at the wedding, she’s making bubble monsters. These are crocheted creatures with wiggly arms and a ball of fluid poking out of their stomach when they are pressed. The Bubble Monsters are novel and cute.
Val enjoys the Crafternoons because she likes the interaction with other people.
“If you have a problem with something, you have all these other experts here who can help you,” she said.
Everyone is welcome to the craft group – any age and any skill level – and any craft from quilting to watercolour painting.
“We had some teenagers here who wanted to learn the basics of crochet,” Val said.
One woman is making teddies for children in domestic violence situations.
Mal Parker from Lismore models a long vest he made inspired by the crochet dress worn by Taylor Swift.
The group poses for a photo – but not for long. The crafters are keen to back to the table and their works in progress.
Soon the room fills with chatter as the Crafternoon continues.
The Northern Rivers Crafternoon is on the last Sunday of the month at 12.30pm–4pm at Clovass McKees Hill Hall. Cost is $2, includes tea and coffee, bring your own craft supplies.
and then