RAV - Regional Arts Victoria - The peak body for regional arts activity in Victoria

Bushfire Recovery Quilt - We've finished it!

17th September 2009

Wednesday August 26, 2009

Would you believe it, two more women came today, keen to be involved in the Project. Their squares may not make it into the ‘A Stitch in Time’ quilt. They just want to be a part of all this outpouring of creativity. Gwenda is the postmistress for Boolarra and she is planning to do an Australia Post box amongst the burnt trees – the fires stopped the mail. June started a square about her house and, as I was busy, a couple of others took over the preparation of the square, choice of fabrics and how to appliqué. I was quietly very pleased to see this competence and confidence.

We now have 25 completed squares, and a couple of the women offered to do the careful cutting down of the squares to exactly 12 ½ inches, ready for the stitching of the calico ‘frames’ which will serve to create each square as an item in itself.

So there were many activities being carried out in pairs – ironing, helping newcomers, cutting, stitching the calico borders on, putting delicacies into the oven – when Heather Farley, the Bushfire Recovery Officer for Latrobe City arrived with her assistant. Heather was overwhelmed with what she saw, declaring that she was expecting to see something nice, but nothing as outstanding as was before her eyes. She asked the women if they would like to keep going and they all said yes. She then made a lovely speech, saying that she felt this Project is both meaningful and powerful in healing the community after the bushfires, and said that she would like to invite the communities of Hazelwood and Jeeralang to come and look at what we are doing, with a view to inviting them to either join or to form a similar group. Heather said that the Shire would like fund our group another six sessions, to help them develop further. She is bringing the Mayor next week because ‘she will love this!’

After Heather left we discussed how we would like to go forward, and the consensus was quickly reached that, because we had begun from a groundswell of healing community, that we would continue in that way. Linda knows of a family whose children all suffer from a rare diabetic disease and they are struggling. So, 3 small quilts will be the first Project. Then, as there are several nearly completed quilt tops that were gifted, these will be completed and raffled in order to keep a nest egg to pay renting the building.

There were two machines that the women from the Traralgon Neighbourhood House said were broken. Yvonne’s husband services machines, and he generously fixed them both.

The gift of giving prevails.

Next week, all machines on deck and the top is put together. That will give us two more weeks to attach the wadding, the backing and to do the quilting. Such an achievement!

Wednesday September 9

One might expect 9/9/09 to be exceptional.

Today’s work is to put the strips of squares together to make the quilt top. As we began, however, two reporters from The Latrobe Valley Express arrived to interview us and take photos. Before they left, Deb and Marilyn, from Regional Arts Victoria arrived, camera in hand. Then another visitor to look at the work and, finally, Lisa Price, the Mayor, arrived. Everyone was quite blown away by what they saw. The Mayor asked if the work might perhaps hang in the Shire offices for a while. We agreed, and she then offered to do a special reception and morning tea for the hanging of the work.

At this stage, lunchtime, no work had been done, but a lot of talking and laughing had.

After lunch, we turned up the pace and got going. Yvonne, our experienced quilter, sat diligently at her machine whilst we all pinned, ironed, trimmed and handed her the squares, now in strips. By the end of the day, the strips had been stitched into a quilt top.

It looked absolutely stunning and we were quite incredulous to see what we had achieved. All the squares together show our journey - from images of flames and destruction, to coming together as a community and sharing special moments, through to images symbolising new life and growth. It is a wonderful indication of the value of arts projects like this.

Lyn King, a Boolarra resident had not been a part of the Project, but offered to help with the quilting, as she has a quilting machine. We had wanted to do this by hand, but realistically have no hope of doing it in one session, so have gratefully accepted Lyn’s contribution.

The women had decided they wanted to show off their skills and to express their gratitude for the experience, so had made some gorgeous gifts for me, and had written a beautiful card. Once again, I am overwhelmed with the giving nature of these women.

9/09/09 was indeed exceptional.

Wednesday September 16

Could this really be the final day of the Project?

We gathered, excited and a bit nostalgic that this amazing project is coming to an end. Just as well we can keep going as a group.

We were about to put the borders on the work when Brooke Van Nooten, from WIN television arrived with her cameraman, and we downed tools to do the interview. Brooke would like to stay in touch with the group, to look at future progress.

It was such a relaxed day, as we only had the border to do, and the women tidied the cupboard, prepared lunch, talked and laughed whilst we completed the quilt top.

We had several visitors who had heard about the group and would like to join. They were all impressed by the professionalism of the work.

Then we folded the quilt and took it to Lyn’s house, where we gasped at her amazing quilting machine – it takes up a whole room.

The women wanted to know if they would learn to hand quilt and I assured them that hand-quilting would be the method for all future work, as a quilting machine cost as much as a small car!

And so we parted. I think it would have been very difficult if it had in fact been a final day. We have become a cohesive and very happy little group, and, I think, a group who are indeed grateful for this powerful and meaningful experience that has led from the anguish of the fires to the beginning of something new and beautiful.

I had written, in my application to RAV

‘The Project, entitled ‘Community Bushfire Recovery Quilt Project’ is designed to galvanize, unite and heal women who have been impacted by the bushfires.

The tradition of quilt making has long been associated with women working beside one another, sharing stories and problems, and together finding strength, trust and enduring friendship.’

Yep, it worked.

Meg Viney

Artist in Residence

Background to the project

In January 2009 the Delburn complex of fires near the small town of Boolarra in Gippsland blazed out of control. Thirty homes were destroyed and three people seriously injured. The community pulled together to support each other at a time when resources were overstretched and everyone was staggering from the shock of Black Saturday. Companionship and community support - these were the vital elements.

In July, artist Meg Viney started A Stitch in Time, to unite and heal women who were impacted by the fires. Once a week Meg now meets with a group of fourteen women in Boolarra. The tradition of quilt making has long been associated with women working beside one another, sharing stories and problems, and together finding strength, trust and enduring friendship. Look at our first  and our second blogs to see our journey in the early weeks of the project. ….

Comments

We would also love to hear what you think about this project. If you would like to comment or send a message, click on 'make a comment' below. 

A stitch in time is made possible through the Arts Recovery Quick Response Fund, an initiative of the Victorian State Government through Arts Victoria and administered on its behalf by Regional Arts Victoria.