I starting quilting with my Nan, she hand stitched quilts for everyone in my family. I don’t hand stitch, but I loved doing natural dyeing for Nan to piece together. She was obsessed with bright colours. After she passed I kept making quilts, and my favourite way is to make them collaboratively.
Naturally dyed quilts
After my both Nan and Gemma, my good friend and long time collaborator, died in the same week in 2024 I spent time quilting while being with my grief. It was the only thing I really wanted to do.
Possum skin rug
I was invited to be part of a quilting day weekend making a possum skin rug with Aunty Matilda House, Nambri elder. I felt lucky to be invited as I wasn’t technically part of the program this year.
Auntie told me stories about growing up on mission and about killing possums for food. She said they would make the quilts/rugs because there were so many possum skins around, and to keep warm. I’m very grateful for all our time together.
This quilt will be shown at an exhibition at Narooma Arts Centre in 2026.
Photos by Nush on Walbunja Yuin Country
Transmissions
I was invited to be part of the Transmissions Quilts project, which started in the US and is focused on collectively making quilts for transpeople, along with an audio archive of their story. We took an abolitionist approach and we linked with Flat Out Inc. to find a gorgeous woman to work with. In our intake interview she told us about her time in prison, how she was treated, how much she loves racing cars. Our coordinator Nic worked with her to make this design with bright racing colours.
I hosted a crafting day with other trans and cis friends to make our quilt blocks to form the larger quilt. Later I patched all the collective blocks together, we quilted the stars by hand and I quilted the rest on the machine, with Nic making the final binding and finishing pieces.
The quilt was included in the Transmissions exhibition in 2026 at Berkley Public Library.
Photos by Fig on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country