The Bermagui Country Club Arts Society Sewing Group is such a close-knit unit the members gathered in unison to celebrate the 90th birthdays of four of its members last week.

 Leone Fitchett, June Carnegie, Joy Reynolds and Thelma Cave are all turning 90 this year and their sewing group friends shared in the occasion with a morning tea and lunch.

The sewing group meets every Tuesday at the Bermagui Country Club, and for many, the weekly get-together is about more than just the creative process.

“I’ve been coming for 20-odd years,” birthday girl Joy Reynolds of Quaama said.

“It’s the highlight of my week.

“Some days not a lot of work gets done,” she added with a laugh.

June Carnegie agreed.

“I do what I can [knitting], but it’s mainly for the social side.

“This is a lovely bunch of ladies.

“Often you go home without knitting a stitch.”

A friend from across the table chimes in with “the most exercise we get is with the tongues!”

While the stories can get “very hairy at times” according to Joy, she finds a lot of benefit in the sharing of problems.

“So you don’t just sit at home thinking over your own problems – you can get out for the day and hear about other people’s problems and help them.”

Thelma is also helping with other people’s problems, adding her craftsmanship to a patchwork quilt she said will be given to Ambulance NSW for “little children injured in accidents”.

She said there is a lot of work involved in quilting and the whole group works on the project.

However, she also said she is an old hand at quilts, having made “quite a few over the years”.

As for all turning 90 during 2014 – and being hale and hearty enough to continue enjoying their weekly sewing-session-slash-gabfest - according to Joy “there must be something in the water – or something in our gin and tonics!”