Victorian Aussie Quilters Get-Together

Some of our wonderful Victorial volunteers got togetther to celebrate their efforts this year in Ballan... Nicole was lovely enough to send these write up for us.....

Several years ago, Aussie Heroes quiltmaker Sue O’D arranged a get together for other AHQ volunteers in her hometown of Ballan, Victoria.  It was a great success, and each year since a small group has come together from areas of Melbourne, Geelong, Chocolyn (near Camperdown), and Pakenham for an annual catch up.  Sue has organised for us to meet recipients, we have completed a challenge (which became an AHQ quilt), we bring our show and tell, and generally enjoy updating one another about where life has taken us over the previous 12 months.  Over the years we’ve come to know one another better and we enjoy reuniting.   It became so popular that another member, Rhonda R, generously invited us to her home on the Bellarine Peninsula where we were able to continue where we left off without having to wait a whole 12 months!

This year’s annual Ballan gathering last weekend included an extra special treat.  Sue had arranged for Jan Preston, a Victorian textile artist, to display her stunning exhibition “Courage and Determination” created as a tribute to Jan’s father-in-law Wilfred (Bill) Preston.  The history behind Jan’s show is incredibly moving and begins with a surprise re-union in Australia of Bill Preston and his friend (also named Wilfred) Wilf Wyatt, 50 years after they first met whilst serving as prisoners of war in Germany and Poland.  The exhibition grew when Jan found photos and memorabilia from Bill’s war years and couldn’t accept that they might be disposed of or left to deteriorate in boxes.  Instead, she created the most beautiful and poignant body of work recognising the hardships of the stalags, working conditions, how love emerged in the most desperate of circumstances, daring escape plans, friendship in the face of adversity, and the power of shared history and reuniting after a lifetime.

What made this so special was the personal account Jan gave us of the origins of the photos and other items that she used to inspire her works, how each piece reflected the stories of Bill, Wilf and their wives, how she came to use the media she did, and how they were put together.  If you have a chance to see this exhibition, we highly recommend it!  Thanks so much to Jan for staying longer in Ballan so that we could experience this amazing exhibition.  

Huge thanks to Sue for organising our gathering each year.  She single-handedly puts it together, including the meeting space, sewn nametags and a little gift for all, and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to gather and share happy times.

We welcome new friends, so if you’d like to know when the next Victorian get together is happening, contact Nicole Wilson wilsons@bigpond.net.au.

Ellen's sewing machine collection... 

The lovely volunteers who attended. 

Jan Preston's works

Show and tell by the Chocolyn ladies....

Caroline, show and tell...