June Weatherston is calling it a day for The Braidwood Quilt Shop. Photo: Alex Rea.
As Braidwood prepares for its biggest weekend of the year, there is also a sense of sadness.
The 24th Annual Quilt Event & Airing of the Quilts will be held this weekend (November 24/25), but this will be the last year for the Braidwood Quilt Shop. Proprietor June Weatherston has been a stalwart of the quilting fraternity for decades and helped start the Airing of the Quilt in 1995.
On the fourth weekend of November in that same year, a small outdoor exhibition of twenty-five quilts mysteriously appeared hanging from the first-floor verandah rails of Braidwood’s beautiful collection of 19th-century buildings for which the town is famous.
The group formed themselves into the Braidwood Quilters which became incorporated in 1997. The Quilt Event is now part of The Festival of Braidwood and includes a wider variety of events including an auto show, garlic fiesta and numerous exhibitions and market stalls.
June Weatherstone is Braidwood Quilters’ Patron. For many years, June was the inspiration and brains behind the competitions of the event – organising the event as well as being a fierce competitor.
The Braidwood Quilt Shop has over 100 fabrics sourced from around the world. Photo: Alex Rea.
Established in 1994, the Braidwood Quilt Shop was voted the Best Quilting Shop in NSW in 2005. When June started out, she wasn’t sure of the crafts’ future, but it is now the biggest craft industry in Australia. June has had people come to her store from all over the world to admire her handiwork.
June’s motto is “Buy good design as good design doesn’t age.”
But now, after nearly a quarter of a century, June has decided to hang up her quilts for the last time at the Festival. The store will hold a closing down sale during the festival weekend, which will be the last time shoppers will be able to visit the destination store in Braidwood which will be missed by many.
Braidwood has a full programme of events on over the weekend.
The Airing of the Quilts in Braidwood. Photo Alex Rea.
An exceptional collection of wedding gowns, photos and other memorabilia from 1900 to 2000 will be on show at Mona Farm. The exhibition is called ‘Vintage Orange Blossom Wedding Gown Display.’ The highlights will be the Historical Society’s ‘Nomchong Wedding Gown’ and several Edwardian-style, turn-of-the-century gowns.
Orange Blossom is the traditional flower for weddings and the local Braidwood papers always had a column named Orange Blossom when they publicized the nuptials of local ladies and gents. The exhibition will be open on Saturday 10 am – 4 pm and Sunday 10 am to 3 pm.
With markets, pop up studios and exhibitions all over town, Braidwood will be buzzing with activity.
2018 Braidwood Festival Programme
- National Theatre – Quilt Competition and Exhibition
- Ryrie Park Markets (Sat only)
- BRAG Arts Centre Exhibition – Arts on Farms (bragart.com.au)
- Apple Blossom Wedding Gown Display at Mona Farm
- Braidwood Museum – Heritage quilts
- Library – exhibition of quilts (Saturday only)
- Braidwood Quilt Shop – Sale 50 per cent off on fabrics
- CWA – Devonshire Teas (Saturday only)
- St Bede’s School Hall – Craft & quilt sales
- Anglican Hall – Freddie’s Fabric Sales
- St Andrews Anglican Church – Quilt display, food & craft (Saturday only)
- Traditional Christmas Cakes – Gundillion Hall Trust (Saturday only)
- Millpond Farm, Wheatfield Gallery – My family & other animals Exhibition
- Fyre Gallery exhibition – All at Sea – Broulee artists Julie Mia Holmes
- Fire and Rescue NSW Station 236 Braidwood – open Saturday in Park Lane – there will be Quilts on display from around 8 am till noon. Come along, meet our firefighters and check out what we do for our town, also information for the summer ahead.
- Garlic Fiesta – Celebrating the local harvest Wallace St/Duncan St (Saturday only).
Conrad Kindrachuk from Araluen at last year’s Garlic Fiesta.
- Auto Show – St Bede’s School – (Saturday only). Display by Braidwood Motor Club and their guests
- Braidwood Open Gardens – Preschool fundraiser – Durham Hall, Exeter Farm, Linden, Bedervale See www.braidwoodgardens.com.au for more details.
Exeter Farm Garden will be open for the Weekend.
A courtesy bus will be operating throughout the town, and Maps will be available at venues throughout town.
Click on:
visitqueanbeyanpalerang.com.au
for more details.
Original Article published by Alex Rea on the RiotACT.
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