Gay Enright and Maureen Johnson - knitting, sewing, crochet

Gay:

Gay's mother was a talented seamstress and, on a Singer treadle machine, produced garments ranging from everyday wear to bridal gowns and fantastic fancy dress costumes. Thus, Gay grew up regarding home sewing as a normal pursuit. She feels fortunate to have had tuition in sewing for a few hours a week at Nambour State High School as part of the curriculum for girls in grades 7 and 8 at state schools in that era. There she discovered the wonders of the electric machine.

Shortage of money in student years and early work life, when living miles from home, led her to buy a machine with her first holiday pay, and she made clothing for herself,and later, for her young family. She learned to knit at an early age but it wasn't until she went to boarding school that she was taught to crochet by one of the nuns. She prefers to work on small projects in fine yarn and cotton.

While she admires the creative process involved in quilting and patchwork, she prefers to concentrate on producing things that are more functional. She regrets the decline of home sewing that has resulted from the availability of cheap clothing and the lack of time of young parents. Personally she finds great satisfaction in constructing a garment which is unique and special. A couple of years ago, after playing dolls with grand-daughters, Gay decided to make a range of dolls' clothes which would survive the treatment of little fingers. This has been good fun. She says she's a fairly "fussy"sewer and pays great attention to detail. She's a member of the local group of the Australian Sewing Guild whose aim is "sharing and furthering the art of sewing".

Maureen:

Maureen's love of knitting began when she was very young, helping her mother skein the wool. She started knitting before she was five years old, beginning with the straight knitting of scarves. At that time acrylics weren't available, and she regrets that pure wool is so hard to get now.

Maureen went on to knit jumpers, tea cosies and other more complex shapes. She likes a challenge, in the form of complicated knitting patterns, and will make up her own intricate patterns as she goes along.

After some recent health problems, Maureen is finding it difficult to knit, but she loves it so much that she persists. After a recent request by a male customer, she is producing beautiful scarves in man colours!

Crochet is Maureen's other love, making rugs in a variety of styles, from highly-patterned bright colours to soft pastels. She also crochets double-sided teatowels.

Maureen is multi-talented though - she also makes delicious rosella and marmalade jams, and helps her woodworker husband Jimmy finish the tables he makes which feature specialty timbers. Her son Wayne is also a talented woodworker.