This original quilt was designed and created by visitors, volunteers and staff at The Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross, Sydney. 70% of the quilt was made using donated and recycled materials. All 162 hexagons have been hand sewn as this was a lovely way for people to contribute in a meaningful way.
Sewing the hexagons and the poppies has been a way for people to be able to take the material home and to fill in lonely hours. This quilt has also brought a sense of excitement from our community as visitors and volunteers discussed (while making Suffolk puffs and knitting) the issues of the ANZACs and what it was like for families and women left in Australia.
The lady sitting under the tree (feel the serenity) reminds us of all the hours spent knitting and thinking about those loved ones far away fighting in terrain they were not familiar with. In this quilt the red knitting represents the blood spilling out and the poppies to mark the fallen. The hands on the trees represent all the gloves knitted for our soldiers in the trenches living in weather conditions far different from Australia. The sun rising over the hill is the symbol for the ANZACs. To represent The Wayside Chapel a ‘love over hate’ tattoo (the Wayside motto) is on the arm of the lady. To recognise the peace we all wish for and for “peace knits” the word 'peace' has been quilted as clouds and in the mountain and surrounding terrain.