From the open door of a small room at the St. John's Sunday school building in Pembroke on Tuesday afternoons comes the sounds of chatter, laughter, and the whirr of sewing machines.

Looking in, one sees a small group of senior ladies doing what they have done for years: sewing and knitting items for the Children's Ward of the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

The St. John's Sewing Guild, led by Jeanne Masters, gathers at 2 p.m. each week from October to May to turn yards of flannelette and terry towelling, and skeins of wool, into pyjamas, bibs, bootees, blankets, caps and more for the young patients. The workmanship is first class, the attention to detail meticulous — right down to ironing the finished work.

Some of the ladies prefer sewing to knitting, and vice versa, some do both, and one, who is not fond of sewing, uses her talents to do all the cutting of the fabrics.

At the beginning of each year, Christine Virgil, matron of the Children's Ward, gives the Guild a list of needed items, following which the members put their talents to work, except during Holy Week and the summer months. Then, just before Christmas, the completed pieces are assembled, ironed, and packed into pretty Christmas boxes generously donated by Paul Dean, general manager of Marks & Spencer, ready to take to the Children's Ward.

This year, the ladies of Westmeath Residential & Nursing Home's seniors' residence have added to the collection with knitted caps for newborns.

Delivery day is special. Not only are the gifts gratefully received, but also the nurses entertain the Guild to tea, which includes delicious goodies they have made themselves.

This year's collection includes warm pyjamas and blankets made from child-friendly patterned flannelette, knitted bootees in pastel colours, and bibs created from terry towel wash cloths to which, like the jersey caps for newborns, little fish and animals have been appliquéd. As a special touch, the name of one permanent, handicapped patient, has been especially embroidered on his bibs.

Apart from the work itself, quite a bit of forward planning goes into procuring the raw materials. Mrs. Masters purchased the terry towel wash cloths at a bargain price while visiting England, and she got the flannelette from the United States since it is no longer sold in Bermuda.

Of the present group, sprightly Rita Simmons is the oldest at 92. Known throughout her life for her beautiful smocking, she has been a member of the Guild for more than 20 years. She remembers the days when the ladies used to hand-embroider some of the items, but says it is too much work nowadays so they don't bother. Naturally, she has seen changes in the membership over the years and, like her fellow members, worries what the future of the Guild will be since the present group are all up in years, and young women are not joining, apparently because they have to work. Nevertheless, Mrs. Simmons plans to put her expertise to good use for as long as she can.

"I enjoy hand work — that is my life," she smiles.

Roselyn Dowling is a seamstress with a lot of experience. Now retired, her professional career included making kilts for Trimingham Brothers, and demonstrating Bernina sewing machines at Pearman, Watlington & Co. She joined the Sewing Guild in 1992, thanks to the persistence of the former rector of St. John's and now retired Bishop, Ewan Ratteray.

"He knew I sewed, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. It's been 16 years now," she says.

In fact, Mrs. Dowling and Phyllis Ming, who was absent on the day of Lifestyle's visit, were "seconded" from St. Monica's Mission to help out.

Eileen Roberts joined the Sewing Guild 12 years ago at the suggestion of her friend, Mrs. Simmons. Confessing that she "really doesn't like sewing", she has become the expert cutter of the fabrics.

"It is a lot of fun, and I look forward to Tuesdays," she says.

Pat Hollis enjoys making the children's pyjamas, while Shirley Christopher jokes that she "foolishly said 'yes'" when Mrs. Masters asked her to join the group. She is happier knitting than sewing, and has made all of this year's baby bootees.

Mrs. Hollis laughs when she recalls that, like other young girls who grew up without television or cable, she was always knitting, and even took it to the movies.

Sheila Trott joined the group about four years ago, thanks to her friend Mrs. Roberts, who "bugged" her until she relented. She sews anything that is needed, and looks forward to the Tuesday meetings as "something to do" which also helps others.

Mrs. Masters is described by her fellow members as "very gifted". Sewing, needlework, arts and crafts, and flower arranging are just some of her talents, and she is clearly dedicated to the work of the Sewing Guild.

She also sews for the Girl Guides on alternate years, and creates crafts for St. John's biennial fairs.

When the Sewing Guild presents this year's gifts, included will be a quilted wall hanging. Designed and made by Mrs. Masters from scraps of material used by the group, it features hearts on which the names of the members are embroidered.

While it is known that the Sewing Guild started almost 100 years ago, details of its history apparently died with those who knew them. However, Mrs. Masters says the late Sarah Pedro, who was a member for many, many years until her death at age 94 in 2004, recalled going to 'Soncy', a house near Pitts Bay Road in Pembroke, as a child with her older sister, and Mrs. Masters herself remembers going to a house on the corner of Serpentine and Pitts Bay roads as a young girl.

"I've been doing it for about 50 years," Mrs. Masters says of her work with the group she now leads.

Like her fellow members, she too worries about the future of the Guild, and wonders what will happen when the current members are too old to continue. Meanwhile, she simply enjoys contributing to the community.

"We have a lot of fun, we laugh and tell jokes, and have a lovely time," she says. "We take turns bringing the tea, but since we're watching our figures, we are only allowed to bring one thing (to eat)."