Boolboonda Hall Quilters member Penelope Mahoney has used her sewing skills to create more than 250 turbans for cancer patients in the Bundaberg Region and beyond.
The avid sewer said it was her way of helping others who were going through hardship, which was something she had experienced herself in the past.
“Out of the five of us in my family, all of us got some form of cancer except for my mother,” she said.
“I had bowel cancer and my two brothers and father all had prostate cancer.
“Making these turbans is a way of helping out the community, if you see someone struggling, you help if you can.”
Pene said she had been an avid sewer for many years and started the Boolboonda Hall Quilters organisation in 2007 in the hope to get others involved in sewing.
“Every month we meet at the hall for a weekend of sewing,” she said.
“People come from all over – Monto, Calliope, Maryborough – and they bring their caravans, it is a really great time.”
When she is not quilting with her group, Pene said she was busy making turbans which were donated to the Cancer Council Queensland and various hospitals.
“I started making the turbans a while ago now and it all began after I attended a Cancer Council morning tea,” she said.
“The people attending were talking about how during the summer time, turbans were much better to wear because wigs could get quite hot.
“They had one there that somebody had made so I used that as my pattern and it went from there.
“I think I have made about 250 turbans since then!”
Pene said whipping up a turban was something she had perfected and with the right material, could take a matter of minutes to create.
“I can do four turbans in about 20 minutes but it all comes down to the fabric,” she said.
“It has to be stretch fabric so it can be tied up around the head.”
Pene said she was always looing for more material to keep her turban-making going.
Donations of stretch fabric can be made to the Gin Gin Community Hub on Dear Street or the Cancer Council Queensland Office at 41 Woongarra Street, Bundaberg.
