Quilt tells of long recovery

Survival Instincts is a quilt that tells a story. Created as a document of Philippa Doyle’s husband’s recovery from a near-fatal fall on the Tararuas, the quilt was named best contemporary quilt at a Wellington exhibition.

‘‘The piece started with me doing just one little piece of stitching every day, but the entire piece tells the entire story of his accident and his recovery,’’ Doyle said.

Quilting the piece was therapeutic, as Doyle accompanied husband Don Stevens through various hospitals for extensive surgery on a compound fracture on his right leg. Stevens fell on a remote area of the Tararuas and had to drag himself up a hill before it was too dark for a helicopter to take him to hospital.

‘‘There’s a lot of sitting around, either at hospital appointments, through surgery – he had seven lots of surgery – and a lot of just not being able to go very far,’’ Doyle said.

Wellington Quilters president Fyvie Murray said the exhibition that included Doyle’s piece was an opportunity for new quilters to exhibit alongside their more seasoned ‘‘guild sisters’’.

‘‘It covers a whole range of quilting spectrums, in terms of style of quilts. But also, every member of the guild has the right to have a quilt in it, so it’s a good chance for someone who’s never exhibited before to gird their loins, and give it a go.’’

Murray has turned recycled silk from clothing, obsolete manufacturer’s samples, and old curtaining silk into fine art, with her award-winning quilt, Wellington Sampler.

The piece won best in show at the Art of Fabric exhibition.

As well as working on their own quilts, guild members also contribute to community activities.

Every Saturday about six quilters teach quilting to women at Arohata Prison. Women taking part in the three-month drug treatment programme complete at least one quilt during their time there.

Guild members also make quilts for women’s refuge. The quilts brighten up safe houses, and women choose a quilt to take with them when they leave.

Art Of Fabric is at the Academy Galleries, 1 Queens Wharf, until October 14.

SAM TATTERSFIELD Quilter Philippa Doyle examines her award-winning quilt Survival Instincts. As she waited for her husband through seven different surgeries, Doyle painstakingly crafted her piece which she says was a therapeutic process.