The Wallhanging
The stories behind the motifs (page 1 of 2)


Myrtleford Spinners

Snowflake

A small informal group of spinners, some of whom belong to the Myrtleford Craft Group, Wangaratta Handweavers and Spinners, and the Beechworth Handspinners. We meet infrequently in each others homes. Most knew Evelyn Potter from the north east Sharing Days and used to talk to her at the Sheep and Woolcraft Show in Melbourne each year. Myrtleford is the gateway to the mountains and the snowflake motif was chosen to represent the leisure snow activities which bring many tourists to the area. Myrtleford is a well known area for growing tobacco, timber and hops. Our motif is made from handspun wool and constructed using a French knitting technique, by Jose Hones. return

Geelong

Ram Head Logo

The Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Geelong was formed in June 1972, and now boasts approximately 70 members. The Geelong motif is based around a Merino ram, incorporating his horn as the "G" for Geelong - THE WOOL CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA. The motif is made with fine Merino handspun wool, using colonial knots, French knots, and long and short stitch on canvas. return

Western Plains Spinners

Flour Mill

Our group was formed in 1971, meeting Saturdays monthly; first in each others' homes, and then, as numbers grew, in the local church hall. Our membership rose to over a hundred and we were lucky enough to have the use of a very run down bluestone building in the town of Mortlake belonging to the shire. We raised funds to renovate and repair it with an open fireplace at one end of the room: we were ensconced in our very own rooms. Like most groups we have seen a decline in numbers, due to a loss of interest in spinning, but with many of the older members, there is still a keen interest in wool and fibres and by keeping abreast of other crafts, we have maintained an overall interest in all handcrafts. In 1973, Glenormiston Agricultural College opened with wonderful new facilities, which the local communities were encouraged to use. We started off with a few week-ends with visiting craftspersons and we very soon realised that in the 1970's there was a demand among countrywomen to learn, not only spinning and weaving but the many new crafts emerging. With distances to travel being a problem and not wanting to travel at night to those odd classes being held in local centres, there was a need to provide an alternative. Hence our two week-ends and a four day school each year became very popular. We found our 'students' were travelling from Melbourne and further afield, some even coming from New South.Wales and South Australia. Our design depicts the old Mortlake Flour Mill. The mill, established by George Bostock in 1856 was wind-powered. In 1857, Warrnambool builders Alkman, Hamilton and Geddes bought the mill and installed a steam engine with a tin chimney. The impressive stone chimney was installed in 1861. It was an important district establishment and was later used as a storage area for the Soldier Settlement Commission. In 1968 it was classified by the National Trust and is now privately owned. Our motif was knitted in handspun wool to the outline of the 'old mill', sewn on to a piece of felt and lightly embroidered. return

 

Koorooman Wool Group

The Daffodil

The invitation to participate in the Guild Wall Hanging caused much discussion amongst our members. We thought of rolling hills, dairy cows, lyrebirds and ferns, but felt that some might be too difficult and others may have been used by other groups. It was at the conference dinner at Healsville that the subject arose again and someone said, "Whenever I think of Koorooman Wool Group I think of daffodils". We liked this idea, as the Leongatha Daffodil Festival is indeed a popular event in our district. Pat Jones, a very talented group member, made use of some fine merino fleece which she had received as a prize from the Melbourne Sheep and Wool Show. She made some felt samples and some handspun woollen threads. Nalda Hard, another very creative member, cut out the daffodil motif and stitched around it. Nalda commented that the first thread was too fine, the next one too thick and the third one 'just right', so our daffodil was created. return

Yallourn North Spinning Group

Cooling Towers

Our motif represents the Yallourn W Cooling Towers and and chimney. The power station is visible from most parts of our valley. Worked in wool felt, and handspun wool embroidery, with smoke and tree tops depicted in fluffed up unspun wool. Most of the the work was completed by Nora O'Reilly with wool -and suggestions supplied by members. return

Box Hill Spinners And Weavers Inc.

White Horse

White Horse Hotel, near Elgar Road Tollgate, was built in 1853 as a Coaching Hostelry. In 1888 the owner commissioned a craftsman to make a wooden statue of a white horse, which in 1985 was mounted on the porchway over the hotel entrance and became a well known symbol. Licences were withdrawn from hotels from Camberwell to Box Hill in 1921 and after that the White Horse Hotel operated as a Boarding House until 1933 when the Council allocated the land for housing and the hotel was demolished. The White Horse and the Porchway were given to the Box Hill Council, and in 1934 were erected at the western entrance to the shopping centre, on Whitehorse Road. The original wooden statue in now in the Box Hill City Art Collection, and was replaced in 1984 by a replica to withstand outdoor conditions. Barker's track became known as White Horse Road and officially recognised as such in the 1860's. In 1994 the new City of Whitehorse was formed, taking in the area of Box Hill and Nunawading. Most of the members of the Box Hill Group are familiar with the White Horse name and statue. The decision to select it as our motif was easy. The motif was cut from a piece of fabric, which was woven of wool singles warp with handspun wool weft in M's and O's pattern. The finished fabric was felted before shaping and mounting on calico backing. return

Doncaster Templestowe Spinners And Weavers

Apple Tree

The Doncaster Templestowe Spinners and Weavers Inc. began about 20 years ago and is an active group of 44 members. We chose the apple tree as our emblem because most of our area was under cultivation as apple growing orchards only a few decades ago. Jean Cuthbert made the tree from felt and several other members embroidered various stitches onto the tree and apples. return

Ngeri Weavers

Group Logo

The Ngeri Weavers was formed in 1977 by some of the students who completed the Certificate in Handloom Weaving, under Lilida Duks, at the Melbourne College of Textiles, in 1976 and 1977. The group's name was suggested by Carol Beattie who found that an Aboriginal work for netting was "Ngeri". We adopted as our logo a design by Jean Bell. Over the years a few of the original members have resigned and four new members have joined. We now have 11 members who contribute to our exhibitions, 2 life members and 1 associate member. We have an annual exhibition, mid-year, at A.M.P. Square and participate in the Sheep and Woolcraft Show in July. Members also display their work in a number of galleries in Victoria. The motif is constructed of handspun wool, using needle weaving and inkle weaving techniques. return

The Briars Homestead Spinners

The Briars

The Briars was chosen as our motif because it is our home. The property has a long history. In 1840 Captain Reid established a "Run" at Mt. Matha which he named "Checkinkurk" after the Aboriginal name of a creek that runs through the property. In 1843 A.B. Balcombe bought the property, renamed it "The Briars" after his childhood home on St. Helena and this accounts for the Napoleonic Collection at the home. The property is now a National Trust under the Mornington Peninsula Shire. It has cattle, vineyard, restaurant, winery and is a show place. Gwen Jordan approached the Committee of Management of the Briars hoping that she might have a group of spinners meeting there once a month and on the first Sunday in the month which was the only day the Briars opened. The group would provide two spinners to add to the atmosphere of the homestead. On the 12th May 1986, 20 spinners gathered from all over the Mornington Peninsula and so it was agreed to form a Country Group and to be affiliated with the Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Victoria. The group continues to meet on the third Monday in each month between 11a.m. and 2p.m. with an average of 14 members attending. We are also available for special days such as the Country Fair, Environment Week and Tea Tree Festival. Our motif is representative of the Briars Homestead, crocheted in homespun wool. return

Albury-Wodonga Hand Weavers And Spinners Guild Inc.

Spillway

Our motif depicts the Spillway of the Hume Dam, situated on the Murray River, separating the two cities. Both communities combine for many activities. The superstructure is represented in tubular knitting and crochet; the cut out section represents the weir wall with flood gates open. Knotted single strands of wool simulate rushing water. Our group has approximately 30 members. return

North East Victoria Coloured Sheep Breeders/Guild Members

Ned Kelly

This motif was chosen to represent the North East Region of the Black and Coloured Sheep Breeders Association of Australia (Vic) Inc. as our region covers the same geographical region as that roamed by the Kelly Gang of bushrangers from 1878-1880. Ned Kelly, the leader of the gang of four, had made a helmet and armour out of plough shears and he was wearing these during the shoot-out at Glenrowan in 1880 when he was captured by the police. After a trial at Beechworth he was hanged in Melbourne in 1886. Our group has seventeen members in this region breeding fine, medium, strong and rug wool sheep for the production of fleeces in natural colours of black, browns and greys. The fleeces are sold to craftspeople for handspinning, weaving and felting. We breeders love the distinctive appearance of our black sheep. In choosing Ned Kelly as our motif we also had in mind that he himself was a bit of a "black sheep" in society. Figure constructed from layers of white felt built up to give a 3D effect. return

Bright Spinners

Paragliding Lady

This paragliding lady was chosen to represent all the mountain sports, summer and winter, that exist around Bright. Hang-gliding, paragliding, absailing, mountain climbing, fishing, camping, bushwalking, orienteering, cycling, skiing, flying, boating, canoeing, and many other sports. The motif was designed by R. Reeves and constructed by Toni Losch. Made from handspun wool using Tunisian Crochet technique. return

Lara Handspinners

You Yangs

The You Yangs, viewed from Geelong Road at Lara, is the site where Captain James Cook surveyed the surrounding district in 1802, from the summit, Station Peak. The You Yang Yarners were formed in 1981 as an offshoot to the original Lara Spinning Group. Unfortunately we no longer meet as an organised group but can be called together whenever needed. We made a name for ourselves by taking part in many Fleece to Garment competitions, winning quite a few and demonstrating where called upon to do so. These included appearing on the Daryl Sommers Show on Channel 9, spinning wool and knitting Daryl a pair of slippers. In October 1982 we set out to break a record set by the Hay Spinners and Weavers of 3 hours 34 minutes to shear a sheep, spin and knit a jumper in an open stitch, and break it we did in 2 hours 41 minutes. The group can always be relied upon to rally together whenever demonstrations or new challenges arise. return

Newstead Spinning Group Inc.

Rotunda

The Newstead Spinning Group Inc. has about 25 to-30 members from widespread areas in Central Victoria. We chose the rotunda as our motif as it is seen from the main road going into Newstead. The rotunda park was established in 1906 and the rotunda erected soon after by the Newstead Band members. The band and local state school used the rotunda for P.S.A. concerts, in aid of the hospital and for picnic days. The first event was a moonlight concert. It fell into disuse during World War 2 and was patched up with corrugated iron to store hay and the area became a grazing paddock. The lease expired in 1986, when council called a meeting to discuss its future. Local interest was high and the rotunda was repaired by volunteers. The first event held in 1988 was a P.S.A. concert with the Back to Newstead weekend. A market is held there on occasions and the Australia Day Flag Raising ceremony and Music Festival has brought the rotunda back to life again. The roof of the rotunda is merino fleece felted with spun wool. The frame is white wool embroidery, with a variety of stitches, yarns and textures. return

Wycheproof

Sheep And Wheat

Wycheproof is half way between Melbourne and Mildura on the Calder Highway. We chose the sheep and wheat motif as these represent the primary industries of our area. The sheep symbolises the wool and prime lamb industry, and the wheat represents the grain production. We are a small group of six members. Handspun wool is used with different applique and embroidery techniques, handknitted face and fleece "top". return

Cohuna Spinning And Weaving Group

Dancing Brolgas

Our group held its inaugural meeting in 1971 following a series of spinning, weaving and dyeing demonstrations held in the spring of 1971. We still have three of our foundation members active within the group. The forerunner of our Annual Sharing Day was held in August 1975 in the form of an 'Inter-group Activity Day'. These annual events have been most enjoyable. During the years since we started, membership numbers have fluctuated; from 28 to only three at one stage. At present we have about 16 members. We are a Textile Craft Group; not just a spinning and weaving group. Some 50 and more years ago it was thought that Cohuna in the Aboriginal language meant "Bend in the River". There are no local Aboriginals left so we could not ask them. When our local Historical Society started up and more in depth investigations were conducted it was found that another school of thought favoured Cohuna to mean "Brolgas". A little later when the Historical Society published a magazine, a diplomatic middle course was followed for the front of each magazine. A local artist drew the present motif with both 'Bend in the River' and 'Brolgas'. The addition of the Brolgas does look nice. We used hand made felt (the wool tops kindly sent to us by a Guild member who responded quickly and generously to our panic telephone call when the felt already made turned out a poor 'white'). The 'Brolgas' and 'Bend' were cut out of the felt, then highlighted with wool embroidery. return

Latrobe Vally Spinning And Weaving Club

Cooling Towers/Sheep

Our design was chosen because flowering gum trees are found in our area. Power House Cooling Towers are all around us in the Latrobe Valley and a lot of the population work there. Sheep and cattle are found in abundance on our local farms. A small group of 19 members, we are pleased to be getting more enquiries, particularly from younger people. Our motif is made from handmade wool felt with handspun wool embroidery, and pom pom blossom also made from handspun wool. return

The English Leicester Association of Australia Inc.

Ewe Head

The motif presented by the English Leicester Association of Australia is the Association's Logo-of the head of an English Leicester ewe. As the Guild Wall Hanging is being woven from fleece wool of the English Leicester, is seems appropriate that the origin of the wool used should in some way be acknowledged. We were delighted when the Wall Hanging Committee of the Guild accepted our design. Our Association is made up of some 28 members, all registered breeders, who voluntarily subscribe to promote their breed. The English Leicester is one of the oldest of the British Longwool breeds developed in the Midlands in the late 1700's. They were first imported to Australia in 1826. Ethel Stephenson February 1996 Handmade from wool felt, with handspun wool embroidery used for definition and "locks" embroidered into place. return

Belgrave Group

Puffing Billy

Belgrave is a township in the Dandenong Ranges and our group is a small informal group which has been meeting once a month for ten years. We chose Puffing Billy as it is so much a part of Belgrave and his whistle can be heard every day of the year (except Christmas Day) as we go about our everyday lives. Puffing Billy Railway is a narrow gauge steam railway which runs from Belgrave through fern gullies and hills to Emerald. It was built in 1900 to cater for the needs of residents as far as Gembrook and mainly to transport timber, potatoes and market produce to the main line terminus at Ferntree Gully and on to Melbourne. With the construction of better roads throughout the hills and more use of motor vehicles, the railway was in danger of closing. The Puffing Billy Preservation Society was formed in 1955. Since the main electric line was extended to Belgrave in 1962, Puffing Billy has been running the 13km to Emerald as a tourist attraction with the help of hundreds of volunteers, apart from the drivers and firemen who have to be licensed and employed by Vic Rail. Last year Puffing Billy carried approximately 240,000 passengers. We used felt as the basis for our motif. The felt is Polwarth fleece and the detail is handspun English Leicester. return

Moorleigh Spinning Group

Aeroplane

The Moorleigh Spinning Group members have chosen the image of a light aeroplane as a motif for our locality. You may not find "Moorleigh" on your map in the South Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne. Is is a small, mostly residential area within the boundaries of Bentleigh and Moorabbin. The Moorabbin Airport is one of the busiest centres for commercial aircraft activity and pilot training in Australia. It has significant impact on the style of the surrounding locality and on the life of its people. The aeroplane is constructed of handmade felt, with handspun wool embroidery used to detail the motif. return

Strzelecki Group

Loy Yang Power Station

Several of our group originally belonged to Latrobe Valley Club in Traralgon. Eight years ago after Gormandale Community House and Learning Centre came into operation we formed our group to cater for the young mothers wanting to learn to spin, while their children were at kindergarten. We chose Strzelecki as our name as we are situated at the eastern end of the Strzelecki Ranges. Our Loy Yang Power Station motif was chosen as it is also on the eastern edge of the Strzelecki Ranges and we travel past it regularly. The motif was felted and embroidered stitches used to define small areas. return

Ballan Arts And Crafts Society Spinning And Weaving Group

Curlew

Our motif is the new Moorabool Shire Logo, which seemed the most appropriate way to represent our area. The bird is the stone curlew, once abundant in the areas indicated by the blue line for water and green for hills and trees on the logo. It is still to be seen in those areas. We are a small group, averaging six or fewer at our fortnightly meetings. The felt used was made by Doree Young from Corriedale wool; the bird was made and embroidered by Grace Slocombe. return

Streatham Craft Group

Windmill And Sheep

12 members of the Streatham Craft Group meet each month to practise and learn new crafts - mostly Woolcrafts. Streatham is a small town in Western Victoria. Sheep were chosen to represent our farming interests and the windmill our dependence on nature. The district is famous for fine wool production as well as cattle and cropping. The motifs have been cut from wool felt, hand-made by Bobby Petrass. return

Woolly Wonders

Rocking Sheep

Our group was formed in 1985 after meeting at our local Living and Learning Centre where a few of us were learning to spin. At first we would meet every Monday evening in our homes as there was only 6-8 members. We have been extremely fortunate to be able to use the Judge Book Village facilities since 1989 as our numbers increased to around thirteen ladies and one brave man, Ted. We are a very close group, sharing ideas with each other, having some wonderful dyeing days and all look forward to our Monday evenings. We have found this motif to be quite amusing and have used it a couple of times in different ways. We think it looks just like a "Woolly Wonder". The outline of the rocking chair was made from handmade felt. Our sheep's body was knitted from unspun fleece and then gently brushed. We crocheted his horns and gave him French knot eyes. Unfortunately, we left the construction until the last night so, rush, rush, rush. return

Serendipity Spinners

Butterfly

Serendipity means Discovery of things not sought or a "Happy Accident"! Butterfly sympolises Transformation, Metamorphosis truly an Unexpected Surprise e.g. caterpillar and cocoon, etc. This symbolises the transformations our group is making from the base materials to finished products. Sometimes ours are also unexpected surprises. Motif is constructed using fabric of wool felt, and various embroidery techniques. Also, circular elements to be knitted lace. Oblique placement of motif on background is important, symbolising movement and activity. return

The Heritage Group

Cottage

The Heritage Group began at Gulf Station about nine years ago. We have ten members. We meet at the Open Days at Gulf Station at Yarra Glen. We demonstrate at National Trust and Field Days. The motif represents a house at Gulf Station. return

Cobram And District Spinners And Weavers Inc.

Cow Jumping Over The Peach

Our group came into being in July 1978, meeting monthly in the Yarroweyah Hall. Over the years we have evolved into both a day and evening group who each meet weekly. We have about 30 members in our group and usually average 15 to 20 each week. Members come quite some distances to our meetings and from some funny place names - Blighty, Linley, Tocumwal (in N.S.W.) Katamatite, Koonoomoo, Nathalia, Congupna, Bearii, Strathmerton, Katunga, Nurmurkah, Mywee, Boosey, as well as Yarroweyah and Cobram. The group is always busy with many workshops, bus trips, sharing days, and demonstrations at schools, agricultural shows, heritage days etc. We have also hosted the Victorian Country Groups Handweavers and Spinners Guild Conference. Our motif is the Logo of Cobram and District and was designed by members of the Cobram Apex Club. Cobram is situated in the very fertile Murray Valley and its two major industries are fruitgrowing and dairying, hence the title : Cobram, home of Peaches and Cream. Our motif is made from felt which in turn was made from white merino slivers and worked in handspun merino wool with colonial knots. return

Arachne Craft Group

Spiders Web And Spider

Arachne Craft Group started as a spinning group about 20 years ago. We took our name from Greek mythology about a girl who boasted that she was more skilled than the goddess of arts and craft, Athena. The goddess transformed her into a spider, so we thought it appropriate to have a spider and web as our Logo. Hand spun wool yarn 'woven' into a spiders web. Spider of handmade felt. return

Western Fleecies

Hunt Club

The Hunt Club, during the eighteenth century, was a hotel and stopping place for Cobb & Co. and other coaches on their way to country Victoria. The area was well known for its deer and deer hunting. The Hunt Club was later refurbished and is now a community centre. The Western Fleecies was established in 1980 by Ale Lubinas and Nola Walker. The Western Fleecies meets every third Saturday. The building is represented in handspun handknitted and embroidered wool. return

Hamilton Wool And Craft Group

Rural Scene

Our design is a combination of a few ideas and the cover of our book "Wool Gathering". Since 1974 fifteen editions have been published. Hamiltion is situated in the green triangle (the shape of our motif), and is considered "The Wool Capital of the World" - hence the choice of a sheep in silhouette and the spinning wheel denoting a popular pastime amongst our craft people. Depicting the Western District within the design are features such as - the tree covered Grampians, birds (too numerous to name), flora, the beautiful red gums and blossom featured in the border, the small aeroplane above the mountain is recognition of Ansett Airways which began in Hamiltion, and at the bottom lush pastures and mansions - a legacy of the arrival of the Henty Brothers in this district. In 1996 Hamilton Wool and Craft Guild celebrates 25 years. A background of handmade wool felt is used, cut to a triangle, and the sheep cut to silhouette. Various embroidery techniques have been used to show detail. Gumnuts and gumleaves are also in handmade wool felt. return

The Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Victoria Inc

Guild Logo

The Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Victoria was formed in 1954 after a two year affiliation with the New South Wales Guild. Membership in 1996 is 646, with 51affiliated groups. The Guild Logo was designed in 1966 by Mr. Graeme Shephard, the result of a competition conducted by the Guild. Mr. Shephard, a professional artist, donated the artwork to the Guild. Crafted from Corriedale wool handspun by Irene Rice and Anna Sutcliffe, the logo is embroidered in Goblin and Short and Long stitch onto a canvas mesh backing, in turn backed with calico. return

Deniliquin Handweavers And Spinners Group

Rice Paddy Field

With the coming of irrigation to the Riverina, rice became an increasingly important crop. Today the Riverina rice industry produces 98% of Australia's domestic and export rice. "Sunrice" is grown by 2000 farming families and over 1,000,000 tonnes of rice were received at the mills throughout the Riverina in 1994. The Ricegrowers Co-operative mill in Deniliquin is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Motif is handmade felt, by our small group of eight members. return

Dookie Spinners Group

Dookie Centenary Clock

Our motif depicts the Dookie Centenary Clock, unveiled on October 18th 1988, to commemorate the centenary of the present township of Dookie. Situated in the local gardens, the Chateau Vineyard Clock was originally part of the Winecellars Buildings (1888-1917). An impressive working clock, it is a real feature of the town. The sheep depicted are representative of this wool and fat lamb producing area. Grain is depicted as this is an extensive grain growing area. Our group consists of eight members. The clock is made from handmade wool felt, cut to show clear definition in silhouette. return

Echuca Wool And Craft Group

Paddle Steamer

Our group of approximately 30 members, some of whom are C.W.A. members, meet fortnightly at the Paramount Art Centre. We participate in two events each year: the Steam Rally held during the Queens Birthday holiday week end, and the Rich River Festival in October. A paddle steamer was chosen to represent our group. There are five steamers operating along the river as tourist and restaurant vessels. Our motif is made from handmade felt, and designed to reflect the water of the River Murray.

Bacchus Marsh Woolcraft Group

War Memorial

Bacchus Marsh is a green valley through which rivers flow. This fertile valley is a food-bowl for Australian consumption and export. The Avenue of Honour is a well recognised War Memorial of Elm Trees. Bacchus Marsh group consists of 10 members. Our motif is made from handmade felt, cut to silhouette and embroided using handspun wool. return

Gisborne Spinners And Weavers

Mount Macedon Memorial Cross

Gisborne Spinners and Weavers started in March 1982, with eight members who had previously completed an Adult Education course on spinning, natural dyeing, and learning about fleece. The club built up and at one stage had over forty members, and currently numbers about 20 with plans in progress to increase membership. The memorial cross was selected for our motif as the Gisborne Shire included Mt. Macedon and its famous cross. Gisborne is the town at the bottom of the hill which leads to the cross. On the summit of Mount Macedon is a huge white cross, on which is superimposed a bronze sword. It is a memorial to those killed in the First World War. Donated to the shire by Mr. William Cameron whose son was lost during the war, the memorial was unveiled by the then Premier of Victoria, Sir Stanley Argyle in 1935, and in 1941 the road leading to the cross, "Cameron Drive," was officially opened by Lord Dugan, The Governor of Victoria. The original cross was struck by lightning and over the years became unsafe and in May 1995 was replaced by a reinforced concrete structured cross. The second cross was built by Grollo Bros. who contributed a large sum toward the cost of replacement. The cross was dedicated to the people of Victoria in November 1995. Our motif is constructed using felt handmade by members of the group. return


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