Quilt Relief – Some people go to Sound Relief others hit the sewing machines

Slotted between Mah Jong, Line Dancing and playgroup, 5 women meet every Tuesday at The Leisure Learning Centre at Balcombe Heights Baulkham Hills to quilt. Anne has been with the group since 1999 and explains the language of the craft, “Quilting has a language of its own such as ‘fat quarters’, piecing, stippling, blocks, rotary cutter, ‘Jelly Rolls’, rotating mat, templates… special names to reflect the finished appearance e.g. Grandmother’s Garden, Shoo Fly, Ohio Star, Flying Geese.”

Quilting has a history that spans the entire globe with ancient beginnings in most unlikely places.  The Bangladeshis quilted, the Dutch, Hawaiians did too, in fact, and all are still at it.  But perhaps the most influential are America’s Amish people. And yes, Anne assures me, men do quilt.

Raunchy Quilting

Even as you read this, controversy bubbles in the USA’s quilting community. The March issue of Quilter’s Home magazine has sold out, despite the precaution measure of it being sealed in plastic, like many adult magazines, owing to controversial content. It boasts the headline: “Shocking Quilts: We show you the controversial patchwork.” And goes on to deliver quilts embellished with a gun-toting Jesus, one woman’s homage to Viagra, ample male and female nudity, and at least one newborn “peering out from his mother’s lady parts,” as it was described recently in the Washington Post.  Major American hobby retailer, Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts, pulled the issue from its stores across the country.

The debate is being thrashed out on crafters blogs and forums, with some quilters condemning the magazine and others heaping praise on the magazine’s creator, Mark Lipinski. He says his magazine challenges the perception that all quilters are conservative older women with nothing on their minds but fabric and thread.

Quilt Relief

In the wake of the horror stories and tragedies that have come out of the Victorian bushfires last month, a most unexpected groundswell of determined folk with squares and diamonds on their minds have come together to help. The art of quilting, it appears, is alive and well in pockets the nation over and if they have their way, some five thousand quilts will be stitched together for those who have lost so much from the fires.

From Bundaberg to Baulkham Hills, quilting groups are rallying together to donate fabric, time, whole quilts, blocks to form bigger designs or kits to the cause. As Julie Morgan owner of The Fabric Palette and on a mission to coordinate 100 quilts to be made and sent to the appeal, put it, “You can’t put a monetary value on their comfort and happiness. It’s a huge job but it’s worth it.”

Liz Tilley, whose house in Duffy burnt down in the 2003 Canberra firestorm, told The Canberra Times the generosity shown to Canberra victims of the bushfires has not been forgotten. Hand-made donated items, including a quilt, in particular, have become heirlooms. “Some of our most treasured items are the ones that were made, with love, by complete strangers”.

Get Involved

Anne’s quilting group have been busy quilting for the bushfire appeal.

Anyone interested in assisting with the 100 Quilts Appeal can phone Julie Morgan on 4972 9309, call into The Fabric Palette at 164 Auckland Street or send an email to thefabricpalette {at} bigpond(.)com

Another effort is asking fellow quilters to make one x 12.5cm block, any design, any colour and to put their name on the blocks so the recipients will see the many individuals who put their time into helping out.  Quilters can post the finished blocks to PO Box 243, Barnawartha 3688.

There will also be holding a quilting bee at the Sacred Heart Presbytery, 283 Beechworth Rd, Wodonga, on Saturday and Sunday, March 21 and 22, from 9am to whenever, to put together blocks and quilts for the bush fire victims. Bring your sewing machines.   (02) 6026 7021  or email cjf57 {at} bigpond(.)com for more information.

Offers of help, donations of money, fabrics and quilts themselves are coming in from all corners of the globe, with quilters uniting internationally to give the victims down under a hand.  French, English, American and Canadian quilters have all reached out.

Some people go to Sound Relief others hit the sewing machines. Tell us how you have contributed to the Bushfire Victims Relief?

Article written by Estelle Pigott

Tags: Design, Quilt Relief, quilting, sewing machines, Two Flat Whites, victorian bushfire appeal

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 22nd, 2009 at 9:13 am and is filed under Australian Art & Fashion, Australian Literature, Australian Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.