“My husband was working at the mines in Queenstown when Mount Lyell closed in 1994,” she said.

“In Queenstown, I was involved in quite a number of things, and one of my hobbies was quilting,” she said.

“I was in a little group there, we used to meet every Monday night and sit and do our quilting.”

Mrs North said she was a nurse, but retired when the two decided to make the move to Launceston in 1995.

“I thought, I’m moving to Launceston - I’d be able to join the embroiderers guild and I’d be able to join the quilting guild.”

Mrs North said when they settled down in Launceston, she began to make enquiries into joining both the Launceston Embroiderers Guild and the Launceston Patchwork and Quilters Guild.

However, she soon found out they both met on the same day.

“I had to make a decision,” Mrs North said.

“I’d made seven quilts already, so I didn’t think I wanted to make anymore. 

“But, I did have quite an interest in embroidery. 

So, that’s how I came to join the Launceston Embroiderers Guild.”

Mrs North said she started off with embroidery slowly by making a couple of cushions. She also began attending any embroidering workshops to keep learning.

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She quickly began moving up the club’s ranks.

“I think it was the first annual general meeting I attended. They were short people to form the committee,” she said.

“So I put my hand up, and lo and behold, I found myself assistant secretary.”

A year later, she became the guild’s secretary.

“I’ve been secretary ever since. It’s been about 20 years,” she said.

“I’ve been embroidering ever since, and working for the guild is my great passion,” she said.

“The people are so friendly. It’s a lovely atmosphere, we help each other, we show each other new designs.

“Then we have our exhibition every two years, which is a huge event. 

“We go visit other branch guilds down the coast, or down in Hobart.

“It’s a very sociable, lovely place to belong to.”

Mrs North said her favorite thing to embroider was pictures.

“I have a very good friend who takes wonderful photos, and I’ve embroidered three all together of her photos,” she said.

“That’s one of the things I like to do.”