RedBerry Quilters are looking forward to showcasing the of the greater creativity of the Shoalhaven community at the Berry Quilt Show

The Berry School of Arts will house the event showcasing a number of special displays including quilts by local Shoalhaven residents.

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RedBerry Quilters president Melissa Cooke said the whole group is beyond excited about the upcoming event and feels it could be one of the biggest yet.

"When you hold a quilt show you are never quite sure how many quilts you are actually going to get," Ms Cooke said.

"It's definitely a balancing act, Carol (RedBerry Vice President) is afraid we aren't going to have enough and I'm scared we are going to have too many, so hopefully we can meet somewhere in the middle," she said.

The expert quilters are not only giving visitors a chance to see their intricately detailed works, but all profits raised from the show will be donated to Supported Accommodation & Homelessness Services Shoalhaven Illawarra (SAHSSI).

SAHSSI is an organisation that supports women, with or without children, who have been affected by homelessness or domestic and family violence.

In 2019 the event was able to raise $5000 for the organisation and the RedBerry team feels this year they could definitely top that.

"I'm proud of how much we were able to raise last time but I don't see how we won't beat that this time with the generous items we've been given to auction," Ms Cooke said.

A special exhibit of award-winning quilts by textile artist Denise Griffiths will be on display. This is your opportunity to see her beautiful work.

Griffiths has also donated a number of her smaller works to be sold and auctioned at the Quilt Show.

The biggest item of the event is a raffle quilt titled 'Garden Delights'. This quilt designed, machine pieced and hand appliqued by Anne Somerlad and custom quilted by Carol Tabone, is valued at $1200 and is truly a spectacular work of art.

Other special displays at the show include Elizabeth Dubbelde's 'One Red Thread Challenge' which is a textile arts competition centered around the theme of empowerment.

The show will also feature a number of traders/stall holders, a cafe with homemade scones and sandwiches, a members sales room full of local handmade goods and quilts for sale.

When speaking to the RedBerry Quilters group you could tell all their hard work and preparation came from a love not only for quilting but a deep regard for each other.

As one group member said "The most important thing for me in quilting is that everyone helps everyone and nobody tries to compete. It just creates the most wonderful friendships."

As Ms Cooke said "In quilting it's all about the journey not the destination. You often lose track of time on how long something takes to create."

When asked why quilting is such a successful practice that stretches to every part of the world, the group agreed that most quilts come from a place of love.

"They usually come into someone's possession out of love, so they associate the quilt with certain memories which give them comfort. When my grandchildren are sick, all they want are their quilts," Ms Cooke said.

The event will take place from the 29^th April through to the 1^st of May.

Please join in and support this worthy cause to help make a difference.