The Sydney Quilt Show has been held in various venues since the first one, where quilts by members of The Quilters’ Guild of NSW (now known as QuiltNSW) were displayed at Lower Town Hall, Sydney Town Hall. The Show was on 16-19 June 1983.
It was an inspiring exhibition, with 143 quilts, garments and other patchwork items on display. I recall being awed by the variety of quilts and the skills of their makers. It was also impressive that a group of volunteers could organise such an event.
Three workshops were also offered: Machine Appliqué with Jeanette Maxwell, Quick Technique for Amish-style Triangle Quilt with Lorraine Moran, and Designing with Colour by Elizabeth Burton. These were held at the Embroiderers’ Guild rooms in Elizabeth Street.
Were you at this first show? What are your recollections? We’d love to hear your stories, so please leave a comment.
As you wander through this year’s Sydney Quilt Show, remember this first exhibition. During 17-19 September this year (ooh, it’s next month!), you will still see a volunteer-run Show with members’ quilts that inspire and workshops where tutors share their skills. QuiltNSW has come a long way since that first exhibition in 1983 but at its heart is still its members – that’s you!
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