The 50-year history of local patchwork group Canberra Quilters is on colourful display at the Canberra Museum and Gallery’s new Stitching Stories exhibition.
I was lucky enough to be accompanied by curator Vanessa Roth during my own visit to the gallery. The long history and major impact of Canberra Quilters has given her many stories to tell.
Vanessa explains the story behind one unique piece currently on loan from the National Museum of Australia. The Australian Citizenship Quilt was dreamt up in 2005 as part of a collaboration between the Australian Government and Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
Vanessa described the idea behind the project. “They asked people from […] all around Australia to contribute a square saying what Australian citizenship means to you or your journey”.
She also reveals its connection to Canberra Quilters. With squares collected, Canberra Quilters was given the important task of piecing together the final quilt. This exhibition marks the first outing of the quilt since its 2005 tour across Australia.
My trip left me wanting to learn more about quilting and the people who do it. I was soon sitting with Katie Ley, longtime quilter and current president of Canberra Quilters.
One topic I was curious about was the social side of quilting. The assembly of the Citizenship Quilt gave me a small look into this already. Katie confirms that quilting does indeed lend itself to community.
“I’ve got a couple of good friends and they quilt so if I go over for a coffee, we’ll end up sitting and stitching. There is always a social element to it and there always has been.”
Canberra Quilters formed under similar circumstances at a Curtin house in 1976. As Vanessa Roth recalls to me, the group’s founding duo had spent time in the United States during the quilting revival of the 1970s.
“When they came back to Canberra I guess they were interested in improving their patchwork skills and getting together.”
“They put an ad in the Canberra Times for other people to join them and then it sort of went from there.”
Widely celebrated quilter Margaret Rolfe was one half of this founding pair. She has since been honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia for her pivotal role in Australian quilting.
Back at CMAG, Vanessa explains how Margaret Rolfe was responsible for adding a distinctly Australian character to the US-dominated quilting revival. “She sort of made it more of an Australian thing, and then now Australians exhibit over in the United States.”
A portrait of Margaret created by friend Jenny Bowker takes the head spot at the exhibition. The Quiltmaker is stitched full of Australian patterns designed by Margaret.
I was most intrigued to hear about the edge of the quilt. Jenny chose to paint it with gold in a deliberate allusion to the frames often seen around canvas portraits.
The wide variety of styles and techniques used across the group was evident to me when looking through the gallery. Katie Ley reveals that Canberra Quilters is known across Australia for their art quilts.
Autumn Sunshine by Cornelia Reppin is a vibrant example of ‘confetti’ quilting. The technique has artists arrange their design using small fabric pieces. The final picture is secured by stitching tulle across the quilt.
Freedom by Helen Godden is another unique piece. Unlike many quilts on display, Freedom presents its design on a single piece of fabric.
The multicoloured cockatoo motif, created with stitches and metallic paint, won Helen best of show at the annual Canberra Quilters showcase in 2011.
Not all displays at the exhibition even include a traditional quilt. Anyone seen these old jeans by Wendy Saclier is one of my favourites at the exhibition. It’s a pair of patchwork jeans covered entirely in Australiana.
Speaking with Region, Wendy explained how she created the jeans. “I had a collection of Aussie icons […] and I just began covering the jeans. And then adding embellishments of beads and buttons and all sorts of bits and pieces.”
My conversation with Katie Ley also gave me a chance to hear about the motivations behind quilting. Just like any art form, quilting often goes beyond just visuals.
She explained that quilters, particularly women, often use the medium to express their politics. “quilting in a lot of ways for women has always been political. It’s always been a way that women have been able to express themselves.”
One piece at their last exhibition was reportedly a commentary on the war in Gaza. Katie mentions that she’s currently working on a piece that comments on domestic violence and coercive control.
Seven special interest groups cater explicitly to a range of different quilting interests within Canberra Quilters.
This includes ROWMakers, a group that challenges members to create one quilt across the year with new ‘ingredients’ chosen at random each month.
Other special interest groups are dedicated to charitable community projects. Their Blankets of Love group makes quilts for families that have lost a child during or soon after birth.
In their 50th year, Canberra Quilters has grown to just under 350 members. Their annual show at EPIC is reportedly the second biggest event of its kind across Australia.
This familiarity with exhibiting quilts has certainly come in handy for their show at CMAG. I was particularly excited to see custom quilted signs repurposed from EPIC and placed around the gallery. These practical additions to the show tell visiting guests, ‘Please don’t touch’.
Stitching Stories: 50 Years of Canberra Quilters is at the Canberra Museum and Gallery until Sunday, 24 May. The 2026 Canberra Quilters exhibition opens at EPIC on Thursday, 21 May.
Original photos by Ben Devlin