The women of Cobram and District Spinners and Weavers may not weave gold, but they are a treasure to the community.
The 23-strong group meets at the Yarroweyah Hall every Tuesday from 10am to 2pm, knitting, weaving and crocheting.
The club was the initiative of Eileen Overeem, who, many decades ago, was seeking friendship and fun.
“I just wanted somewhere to go and be with people with like-minded interests,” she said.
Ms Overeem said that over the years, the club had seen many people join, and drew its members from places as far afield as Congupna and Tocumwal.
Maureen McKinnon is one such member.
The local joined the club in 1980 and said it was a perfect fit.
“When I first came to town, I didn’t know anybody, and I needed to find a group to belong to feel like I fitted into the community,” she said.
“My interest was knitting but I decided I wanted to learn to spin as well.”
According to Ms McKinnon, weaving, knitting and crocheting are easy once one gets the hang of it, and she sees the club as the perfect blend of indulging in creativity while remaining social.
“Once you’ve got the technique, you can just let it happen,” she said.
“And you can talk at the same time.”
Despite the relaxed atmosphere, one would be mistaken to think of the Cobram and District Spinners and Weavers as a quaint social club whose members keep to themselves.
On the contrary, they have an outsized influence.
In the past, group members have used their skills to respond to disasters, both big and small, in the community and even abroad.
Trauma Teddies for Ambulance Victoria, hats for those who are homeless and blankets for those caught up in the 2022 floods have all been created by the club.
Ms McKinnon said members also knitted caps for Australian soldiers serving abroad, telling the Courier that the Australian Defence Force stipulated that the caps must be woollen for operational reasons.
Recently, the club has been knitting bollard covers around Cobram and Barooga in the lead-up to Anzac Day and, last year, Christmas.
At other times, the members knit blankets, hats and bags for themselves.
Club president Wendy Dupleix said anyone thinking about learning to knit, weave or crochet should visit the group on Tuesday and learn from its highly skilled members.
“It’s just a lovely group, a friendly group of women who get together once a week and use their skills,” she said.