The "Stitch in Time — a celebration of embroidery" conference, being held in Dunedin from July 11-18, brings together more than 340 guild members for a busy programme of tutored workshops, and speakers. Most events will be held at St Hilda’s Collegiate.
Convener Anne Jaquiery-Newall said the conference also marked the 50th anniversary of the association, which would be celebrated with a special dinner at Larnach Castle.
As part of the conference programme, members of guilds from across the country have submitted a broad range of embroidery work for the national exhibition, which will be judged by Dunedin-based embroidery experts Gaynor Chronican, Dr Jane Malthus and Jay Hutchinson.
In association with the conference, the Tapestry Trust of NZ Inc is taking the opportunity to stage an exhibition of completed panels in its ongoing project to record major events in Aotearoa New Zealand history, since 1840, in stitch.
Dunedin-based Tapestry Trust chairman Hudson Biggs said the exhibition would feature all 27 embroidery panels completed so far. Some works depict historic events such as early European settlement, the gold rush of the 1860s, the founding of the University of Otago, the first daily newspapers, the establishment of Plunket, and much more.
Mr Biggs said the long-term project, supported by the Association of Embroiderers’ Guilds, was to create a series of 120 large embroidered panels telling the story of New Zealand history since European settlement.
The giant stitching project began in 2012, after the Tapestry Trust consulted University of Otago Emeritus Professor of History Barbara Brookes, who compiled a list of important historic events since 1840.
"It is a fascinating list of this country’s history — from the sealers and whalers to the first settler ships, the establishment of primary industries, and the foundation of institutions," Mr Biggs said.
Each panel took about two years and hundreds of hours of volunteer stitching to complete, and cost about $5000 to produce from design to using specially woven fabric that would stand the test of time.
The 27 panels completed so far included five stitched by Otago Embroiderers’ Guild members, he said.
"The detailed work on these historic tapestry panels is incredible, so we are excited to be able to showcase them to the public," Mr Biggs said.
The Tapestry Trust exhibition and the national conference exhibition will be on show at Otago Art Society, first floor, Dunedin Railway Station from July 11-27. All welcome.
For more information of the historical tapestry project, visit www.tapestrytrustnz.org.nz
