Kia Ora everyone,
I hope this newsletter finds you all fit and well and ready for the Festive Season. It is hard to believe that it is nearly the end of November already. This year has been a very busy one for me, not only with AQ activities but also with family. After having spent 15 years in Thames we decided that it was time to downsize and get into a house that was on one level, and also move nearer to our family in the Te Awamutu area. After looking at houses, nothing seemed to fit our requirements, so we have been building. It has been an exciting exercise, taking nearly 8 months, agonising over choices and hoping we have made the right ones. By the time you get this newsletter we will have moved in, unpacked and I will have a sewing room again.
During this time the Great New Zealand Quilt Show opened in Christchurch. It took a lot of planning and organisation to move it to Christchurch and we were delighted with the response. Next February the committee will have their face-to-face meeting and one day will be devoted to planning the next GNZQS, which is being from 14th-16th May 2027 in Hamilton. Make a note of the date so you can plan to be there.
It has been really heartening to see our members entering the challenges. A lot of work goes into preparing them so please continue to support them. I have just come back from attending The Festival of Quilts in Auckland and felt so proud to see the AQ Challenges hanging. It makes all the work in preparing them worthwhile.
The other exhibition that I have returned from was of course the Carrefour European Patchwork Exhibition. The amount of planning that went into getting the NZ Exhibition to France was extensive and I want to thank Nita for stepping up and taking on this responsibility. When I arrived at Saint Marie aux Mines (where we were staying and the AQ exhibition was) I found it hard to believe that it would be transformed into a village with over 15,000 visitors in a few days time. Like a lot of small towns in NZ, it was suffering from young people leaving, lack of industry and dilapidated buildings, but it did however have some very picturesque buildings and it was interesting walking all the cobbled back streets and getting photo opportunities.
By the time the exhibition opened the village was full of people, restaurants and shops opened, campervans where everywhere. True to their word, 17,000 people went through in the 4 days, more than last time. Again, seeing our quilts on exhibition was a thrill and we all felt pretty proud of the quilts on display. I have learnt that NZ Quilters are definitely up there with the rest of Europe. Our NZ quilts reflected many different techniques and topics and there were countless times when you found yourself explaining how the various quilts were made and what they represented. ‘Magnifique’ was a word used often by the visitors.
There were 17 other exhibitors, however the two exhibitions I really enjoyed were the work of Shin-Hee Chin from the United States, with an example of one of her quilts below. I have since researched how she makes her quilts and am amazed to find its all by hand, layers upon layers of threads and stitching.
The other was called Guldusi a hand embroidery program launched in 2004 to help women in Afghanistan. Each piece had to include at least one silk embroidery in the shape of a triangle created by the Afghan women. Very intricate and beautiful detailed work. Reflecting on our trip to France, I was delighted with AQ’s involvement in the European Exhibition. It certainly was an experience, and we learnt a lot about attending such a huge event. It put NZ Quilters on the world stage, showed people where NZ is and that we are very creative in our quilt making. Many people asked me if we would come back and attend other exhibitions, without of course realising the cost and effort involved. We will have to wait and see what the future holds.
We have prepared some activities to keep you busy over the summer months if lazing in the sunshine is not your thing. The summer stitch along is happening, with details further in this newsletter. The next members challenge was announced in the last newsletter, and we have given you plenty of time to think, plan and produce your quilt.
Best wishes over the Christmas period, stay safe over the holidays and I look forward to seeing you in January.
Nga mihi nui
Valda Sutton, President Aotearoa Quilters
Reverberations by Shin-Hee Chin
