Rotarian Fellowship of Quilters and Fiber Artists Issue Number Two MAY 2005 Hi everyone I hope that many of you managed to make a square for our Celebration Quilt and sent it off to Phyllis in time for it to be made up for the 100th Year of Rotary. I had fun with mine, and called it ‘Celebrating New Zealand’. I thought that through this newsletter, it might be interesting to look at the history of patchwork and quilting in some countries around the world, and this month, we take a brief look at what is happening in my home country of New Zealand. Quilt making in New Zealand (as in many countries) is a tradition which arrived with the early pioneers. What began as a primarily functional practice has evolved over the years to a creative and popular art form. Quilt making in New Zealand has had a huge revival since the 1980’s. There are now hundreds of Patchwork and Quilters’ Guilds and Associations across the country, and thousands of quilters meet every year for the National Quilt Symposium. (This year it was held in Auckland in March.) The evolution of the quilt in New Zealand is traced back to English and Pacific Island bed coverings. We also now have many contemporary patterns and a wide range of fabrics showing our native flowers, birds and animals. Below shows: 1. New Zealand print fabric; 2. New Zealand Wood Pigeons wallhanging; and 3. Quilt of New Zealand icon the “Buzzy Bee”.
Click the thumbnail for a larger view of photo. In the next newsletter, we shall take a look at the history of patchwork and quilting in the United Kingdom. I would appreciate contributions from members from any country regarding their history which I could add to future newsletters. Happy stitching everyone. Note: The Rotarian Fellowship of Quilters and Fiber Artists is a group dedicated to promoting the fiber arts as an opportunity for fellowship. This fellowship operates in accordance with Rotary International Policy, but is not an agency of, or controlled by, Rotary International. |
