Narelle Grieve Hand Quilting Award

Presented at the Sydney Quilt Show since 2010, this Award is sponsored by the Grieve family in honour of QuiltNSW life member, the late Narelle Grieve. She had a long history as an active member of QuiltNSW and was recognised for her significant contribution to quiltmaking in Australia when she received the inaugural Rajah Award at the Australasian Quilt Convention in 2005.

Narelle first took patchwork and quilting classes while she and her family lived temporarily in Pennsylvania in the early 1980s. She was immediately immersed in the quilt world, acquiring as many skills as she could. After completing teacher accreditation with the American National Quilting Association, Narelle shared her knowledge through classes. In 1986, the Grieve family returned to Sydney and Narelle became an active teacher.

Narelle was a driving force for spreading enthusiasm throughout the patchwork and quilting world. She was President of QuiltNSW in the late 1980s, instituted the Teacher Accreditation programme, arranged the first meeting of all quilting guilds in Australia in 1992 (now known as QuiltAustralia), was on the Colours of Australia committee, was a consulting editor for Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine until 2008, and led overseas quilt tours.

However, it is for her fine hand quilting that Narelle was well-known. Her wholecloth quilts and exquisitely detailed silk appliqué quilts drew close attention whenever they were displayed. Her hand quilting classes were always in demand as many quilters clamoured to learn her secrets. It is for this aptitude for hand quilting that the Narelle Grieve Hand Quilting Award is given each year at the Sydney Quilt Show to a deserving quiltmaker whose quilt is entered in an amateur category. We thank the Grieve family for continuing to sponsor this Award in Narelle’s honour.

Last year’s winner of the Award was Jill Williams, for her quilt What the Hex. I wonder who will win at this year’s show?