Stitched together: Love of quilting keeps her going

Inside a Brisbane home filled with colour, creativity, and decades of memories, Beverley has found a way to do it all – with a little help.

The dining table in Beverley’s and her husband, Cecil’s, inner–western Brisbane home has a permanent resident: a sewing machine.

Beverley, 82, has been telling stories in fabric for years. And thanks to the support she and Cecil receive through Co.As.It.’s Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), she hasn’t had to stop.

“I cannot thank Co.As.It. enough,” she says simply.

“Their support has been a blessing.”

With care workers handling the domestic chores, Beverley found something she hadn’t realised she’d lost: time. Time to care for Cecil properly. Time to breathe. And time, every Tuesday without fail, to be simply and joyfully herself.

THE TUESDAY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

“Every Tuesday is special to me,” Beverley says, her voice brightening. “It’s an opportunity to take a break and catch up with my quilters group. We chat and laugh over a cuppa and share tips on our latest projects.”

These weekly gatherings are more than a hobby – they’re a lifeline. For a woman whose days are otherwise shaped around Cecil’s needs, that circle of quilters represents continuity, community, and creative freedom. And Beverley’s quilts are no casual pastime. Her works have earned awards at the Queensland Quilters, the Ekka, and the Ipswich and Brookfield shows.

Each piece is painstakingly crafted over months, capturing intricate subjects with the patience and precision of someone who knows that the best things take time.

As Cecil’s needs have grown, their services through Co.As.It. have grown too. He too receives tailored support through the organisation’s Support at Home (SAH) services. For Beverley, the peace of mind this brings is immeasurable.

“I am always delighted to invite Co.As.It. care workers inside our home,” she says, “knowing they will take care of the chores that now seem much harder as I reach my 80s and continue to care for Cecil.”

It is a remarkably gracious thing to say – an acknowledgement not of defeat, but of wisdom. Knowing when to ask for help is its own kind of strength.

A LIFE IN FULL COLOUR

Back at the dining table, another quilt is taking shape. Beverley hasn’t decided yet what it will depict. Whatever it becomes, it will be finished with the same devotion she brings to everything: her husband, her family and her Tuesday mornings.

The sewing machine hums. The walls glow with colour. At 82, Beverley is not winding down. She’s still in full stitch.