Labour of love sew creative at Woolorama

Local talent will be on full display in the Creative Craft and Home Industries section at this year’s Wagin Woolorama, with quilts just some of the many items on display.

Wagin Woolorama patchwork, quilting and applique head steward Lyn Pike has been making quilts since 2004, after being inspired by her friend Heather Jefferies.

A talented quilt maker, Ms Jefferies owns a quilting store called The Patchwork Barn in Duranillin, where she also joins layers of quilting together for others.

Ms Pike took on the steward role in 2017 as a way to encourage people to try their hand at being creative.

“It is about displaying your work; we all make mistakes but it is about the pleasure of creating something that you really love,” Ms Pike said.

“I wanted to encourage people to have a go at something creative in their life, and have personal pride in putting something beautiful together.

“It is quite special to make a quilt, some of them take years to do and it is a real labour of love.”

Each year, there is a different topic for the theme quilt class with this year’s “two colour quilt” inspiring a display by Ms Jefferies, who plans to show her blue and white designs.

Last year’s theme quilt topic was rust dyed fabric, which Ms Pike said produced some fascinating designs.

Long-standing resident Wendy Pederick won the overarching and prestigious best quilt of the show category last year, with a hand-embroidered red and cream quilt. There are 13 classes in the patchwork, quilting and applique section with prizes of $20-$30 each.

All classes are open, meaning that anyone of any class or age can enter any category except for the annual professional or commercial quilter category.

Ms Pike said the competition had been crafted that way to encourage everybody to display their work and share their talent at Woolorama.

The classes are also compatible with the WA Quilting Association.

The Creative Craft and Home Industries competitions give people the chance to show off their beautiful creations — including craftwork, needlework, patchwork, quilting and applique, knitting and crochet, woodwork and metalwork, one person’s work, cookery, fruit and vegetables, and jams and preserves.

Featured classes across the section include a men’s only cooking section, grandchild and grandparent, gingerbread man challenge, two-colour quilt theme, giant pumpkin competition, pickled or preserved beetroot, a collection of jams or preserves, and a friendship rug.

There is also plenty of opportunity for juniors to show off their creative talent, with competitions for cooking, art, craft and design and photography skills. New junior classes include digitally altered photography, the Wagin Young Artist Award and decorated birthday cakes.

The Creative Craft and Home Industries displays will be located in the Eric Farrow Pavilion.