Tommy is my grandmother. She often wears full orange outfits, then gets frustrated when she gets stopped constantly in the supermarket by people admiring what she is wearing.

Helen Stechman nee Cassie is Nan Fairlie to her daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She passed age 93 and the magpies in the trees sang their hearts out to send her off. Nan grew up at Guide Hill Station, was a land girl during WW2 and lived in Fairlie for over 70 years. A gun ice skater, ambulance driver, wood chopper and vege gardener, Nan had a wicked, laugh out loud sense of humour and mischief. 4 generations went to Guide Hill for an incredible weekend on her 90th. Nan Fairlie was such a good stick, so up for it and so loved, we miss her every day.

Zoe Dawson - my amazing 20 year old daughter. She learned to write her name in joined up writing and got her pen license and always signed her name with a luxe Z inside a big heart. This is from a card she wrote me when she was 10 and I was in a bossy phase.

My nana Zoe who passed away at 99.5 last year went by the name Joan. She was a professional seamstress, knitter, and crocheter right to the end although she would have loved to have been a teacher. People asked her the secret to living so well for so long and she’d say I just take each day as it comes and keep working and breathing. I found out her real name was Zoe Kate when I was about 10. I loved that name so much I got her a brooch engraved with it - this embroidery is a nod to that engraving. I inherited the brooch back when she died. I spoke at her funeral and many of her lifelong friends and family only found out that day that her name was Zoe, not Joan. I named my daughter Zoe.

My piece is in honor of my grandmother, Sharon Craven, who has been very influential in my life and creative pursuits. A talented quilter, she taught and helped me rediscover a creative love of textiles and all things sewing.

A mentor has been encouraging me to not shy away from exerting pride in myself, and my endeavours. So, I've honoured myself in this large quilt equation, in the work I've done and do: writing, storytelling, and quilt making. And my middle name happens to be 'Anne'. Carolynne + Anne and I have a subtle presence in the collective nature of it all.

A mentor has been encouraging me to not shy away from exerting pride in myself, and my endeavours. So, I've honoured myself in this large quilt equation, in the work I've done and do: writing, storytelling, and quilt making. And my middle name happens to be 'Anne'. Carolynne + Anne and I have a subtle presence in the collective nature of it all.

This is the name of my daughter, named after Wednesday from the Addams Family - the calm, clever girl with magical powers who lives amongst the chaos of her eccentric family. The name perfectly suits her.

My late mother, Rinny Gordon, was pivotal, along with my father, in establishing New Zealand's first national quilt competition (at the Aotea Centre) in Auckland in 1990 through their company Enzed Sewing Ltd. After my mother's death, I took up quiltmaking, starting with a piece of fabric from her sewing room. My mother taught me to sew and I am often with her in spirit at the machine.

This is my mother Marie Stechman’s name in her handwriting. It was always a source of amusement to the family that she signed all her cards ‘To (name). From Marie’, no matter the occasion or audience, even toddler grandchild. In her 70s she flipped the narrative on us and started writing heartfelt cards. I have embroidered her name exactly as she wrote it on my first ’gushy’ birthday card - with a tiny pink heart nod to her new m.o.  Have also attached a pic of the card. 

Saskia is my beautiful one year old daughter, born in 2021. She has been a joy and we are learning so much from her. She reminds us that every thoughtful decision we make in our lives today can shape a positive future for her and others.

Ellen Sarah is my mother's name. She was the only child born in 1911 (to an alcoholic mother). She met and married my dad and they had four daughters and a stillborn son. She was widowed at 46 and had to support her family by returning to work as a seamstress in a hospital. Her daughters were 20, 16 12 and 8 (me being the 8 year old) when dad died. She didn't remarry but managed to buy a very modest house and provide and care for us in a loving, proud and resilient way. She lived to 98 and was self-reliant, healthy and energetic into her early 90’s. She was a beautiful sewer and crocheter and cook, and encouraged our needlework skills at school, loved gardening and flowers and was much loved by her family and community. It has been a joy to honour her memory via this quit project. Thank-you.

‘Dawn’ is my mother. A wonderful Mum, Grandma and Great-Grandma to six children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and for whom some of us share her name in one form or another. I am blessed to have Dawn as my middle name, which has become more precious since her passing. Her middle name lives on in a number of her granddaughters. She left a wonderful legacy in future generations – ‘Always remembered, never forgotten’ xx

‘Joanne’ is my eldest sister, gone from us far too early at the age of 52. Joanne and I shared a combined love and passion for all things crafty and spent many a happy hour together discussing and sharing our latest projects. Our ability and passion has been inherited from the women that have come before us. The little black cat I stitched was her beloved ‘Sam’, who unfortunately passed away just before she did. I love and miss my sister, Joanne xx

A Practicing Physiotherapist, in NSW, I was a patient of Annabel's in 1998, as well, Annabel was enrolled in the lecture series at the Art Gallery of NSW, to pass the examinations, at this time was a requirement before enrolling to be trained as a Volunteer Guide at the Art Gallery of NSW. Following Annabel's example, I enrolled in 1999, and thoroughly enjoyed the lecture series, this year the title of the series was "Defining Moments in Art", a great opportunity to hear excellent lectures delivered by professional Art Curators. I joined the Task Force in 2007, meeting Annabel again, then in 2009, with her encouragement I applied to be a Volunteer Guide, a role I am so grateful to have. Annabel has been the Guides Coordinator, in 2007, 2013 and 2014, and she is a competent, versatile, and talented guide, with a wide knowledge to impart.

Philippa was born in June 1310, daughter of Count William of Hainaut and the French Princess Joan of Valois, she was engaged to Edward, Prince of Wales in1326, married in1328, they had 13 children, 3 died in the Black Death. Queen Philippa won much popularity with the English people, a most gentle queen, liberal, more courteous than ever was a queen in her days. Edward tried to take the French kingdom, as a descendant through his mother, a distant descendant of Eleanor of Aquitaine, this claim was denied and after many wars France recaptured all the English territories, except Calais and Bordeaux. King Edward's popularity waned, the English nobles, in their dislike of the French, began using English as their daily speech, encouraged by Chaucer, and his writing of "Canterbury Tales", this was the first time English was spoken since the Norman Conquest in 1066. Queen Philippa, persuaded King Edward to spare the lives of the Burghers of Calais, to free these ports for France to resume trade. A gentle, and strong lady, with a great sense of justice and equality.

Arriving at the Art Gallery of NSW in 1979, from the Fine Arts Department of Sydney University. At this time the Public Programs lecture series was launched. Ursula was an energetic, intelligent, educator and curator, remembered with her flame red hair. The Art Gallery Magazine, titled The Bulletin, announced a series of four lectures to be given by Ursula, on Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, Michelangelo, and Durer. This was the start of an outstanding contribution that would last more than two decades. An Ideas person who inspired many of the choices for the later Art appreciation series, Ursula was an engaging lecturer having spent many hours researching original material for her talks to the Society. I attended the lecture series in 1999, the title was "Defining Moments in Art", Ursula was one of the lecturers who everyone respected and admired, she was also the examiner, of the assignments and examinations, on completion, the award was a Diploma of Fine Arts, at this time a prerequisite toapply to join the Volunteer Guides at the Art Gallery of NSW. Ursula was a wonderful example and an inspiration.

I worked on this piece a few weeks ago while thinking of my dear Aunty Dot 1919-2015. She worked her way through a nursing career from 16y/o. She travelled through India with the Baptist Nursing Mission in the 1950's. She didn't marry but had wonderful nursing freindships. She took on the role of matriach to our families. She graduated from UNSW with an Arts degree in 1970's and worked as a nurse educator for many years. A good soul!

I was 3 months old, my mother 26 years old when her mother, Dorothy died. I have always felt my grandmother's presence in my life despite never having met her. She had a passion for photography and costume making, which influenced my mother's creative spirit and subsequently inspired mine. Dorothy would dress up for dances and gatherings as 'Madame Deemer' the tea-leaf reader, and no one would suspect it was her. I love her sense of fun and mystery.

Adriana "Adri" Corral is an artist based in Houston, TX. I have only known her since 2015, but have come to realize that she is one of the most thoughtful and compassionate people I have ever encountered. As an artist Adri makes sure to give voice to the voiceless, in particular, the victims of femicides in Mexico. She speaks their names when others won't, which is why I wanted to embroider her name, to speak the name of this extraordinary person.