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Longitude = 133.8771
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Long: 133 degrees, 52.6 minutes East
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Home  Signature Quilt
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Signature Quilt |
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THE SIGNATURE QUILT PROJECT - A PATCHWORK OF EMPOWERMENT
To celebrate the achievements of Australian women over the last 100 years, the National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame created two identical Signature Quilts. One is displayed at their headquarters in Alice Springs while the other was raffled to raise funds for the new building, a permanent public facility to commemorate the pioneering women of Australia.
 Jan Millington sewing |
 Julie Heller ironing |
The raffle quilt was in fact been divided into 2 separate quilts each measuring 2.2m x 1.9m (7’3 x 6’3). The Northern Territory Chief Minister, the Hon Clare Martin, launched the project on Friday 7 March to celebrate International Women’s Day 2003. The Signature Quilt raffle was drawn on 8 March 2004 by Jose Petrick, one of the women recognised by the 2003 Tribute to Territory Women awards. The first winner was Jennie Gordon of Canberra, who selected the red quilt as she works with Maree Schuster whose signature is on that quilt. The second winner was Jennifer Slee of Bolwarra Heights in NSW.
 Signature Quilt Draw |
 Josie Petrick & Helen Joraslafsky |
The raffle quilts were valued at $25,000 each by internationally known Melbourne dealer Charles Leski of Charles Leski Auctions, specializing in autographed memorabilia.
Each quilt is made up of calico squares, all signed by Australian women who have recorded firsts or those who have made significant
achievements within their field, with alternate patches of patterned fabric, appropriate to the signatory's field. So fashioned, the quilt will be representative of both a traditional women's craft of the 19th century as well as making visible women's achievements of the 20th and 21st centuries - a "Patchwork of Empowerment".
 LAYNE BEACHLEY First woman to win 5 world surfing titles, statistically the greatest woman surfer in surfing history (2002)
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 ITA BUTTROSE First woman editor-in-chief of a major daily newspaper (Sydney Daily and Sunday Telegraphs: 1980); and first woman appointed to the board of Rupert Murdoch’s News Ltd Australia |
 PENNY FLETT First woman in peacetime to hold a male rank & first woman doctor to serve in RAAF (1974) |
 MARILYN JONES One of first Principal Dancers with the Australian Ballet when established (1962), she later became its Artistic Director (1979-82) and founded the Dancers Company of the Australian Ballet (1980) |
The completed quilt for display measures around 3m x 2.5m (10‘ x 8‘). It contains the signatures of 343 Australian women who have been first in a variety of fields within Australia, their State or Territory or their community.
You can scroll down the alphabetical list here for a particular name with details of their first or you can also search for groups of names under a particular field. The fields are: activism, adventure, architecture, the arts, aviation, business, community service, dance, education, environment/conservation; fashion, film industry, information technology, gastronomy, history, law, media, medicine, military, music, performing arts, politics, public service, religion, rural, science, sport and union.
 CORALIE LING Victoria’s first and Australia’s second woman Methodist minister, ordained at the Wesley Church, Melbourne (1969)
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 CAROL MARTIN First indigenous woman to be elected to an Australian Parliament (Seat of Kimberley, WA 2001)
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 SUE McGINN First woman to be appointed to the Australian Dairy Farmers’ Board (2000) |
 RUTH E WILSON First woman pilot to own and operate her own hot-air balloon in Australia (1976) |
NPWHF committee member and experienced quilter, Jan Millington first initiated this innovative undertaking at the end of 2000. NPWHF Curator Pauline Cockrill researched the names and addresses of the women to be approached and is currently working on a publication telling the story of the quilt and the inspirational women who signed it. Honorary Secretary Val Mitchell handled the bulk of the correspondence. Jan Millington and fellow quilter Julie Heller spent many hours putting the quilts together and searching for appropriate fabric.
We are grateful for donations of materials from the following businesses and quilters, both local and interstate. Colleen Byrnes of Sew ForU of Alice Springs: donation of calico and other fabric for squares.
Mini Jumbuk of Naracoorte, SA: donation of Nu Wool Wadding.
XLN Fabrics of Kings Park, NSW: donation of backing fabric and patterned fabric for squares.
Victorian Textiles of Moorabbin, VIC: donation of Matilda's Own Wool Batting.
Rosmarie Imhof, Jean Gooding, Julie Heller, Mary McCarthy, Karren McCluskey, Barb Mcllvain, Barb Gurney (Alice Springs Quilting Club): donation of fabric.
Jane Gibson, Lynn Hewitt and other members of the NSW Quilters Guild: donation of fabric for squares.
Marg Waters, Val Mitchell, Pauline Cockrill: donation of fabric for squares.
The Signature Quilt Project was a special feature in the No 5 issue of the “Homespun Quilters Companion” entitled “A Patchwork of Empowerment”, pp 52/3.
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