Hello all, Mary Ellen again.

Finished up reading the most recent issue of Quilters Newsletter (J/J 2012) and was very interested in the article about Robyne Melia’s crazy quilt. The photos are amazing. Robyne started embroidering the blocks for the quilt in 1992.  She used a grandmother’s fan for the borders and heavily hand stitched each one. She said she planned to try historic embroidery designs from a book by Dorothy Bond Crazy Quilt Stitches. Well, as she progressed the quilt plan grew. She added a cross stitched horse as the center. Then she thought more pictorial blocks would be nice. Maybe a new stitch to learn. It eventually finished at 75″ square. After finishing the quilt in 1996 she entered it into a quilt show. Although she had no intention of selling it, she was required to put a price on it. She wanted viewers to understand and appreciate the true value of her time and the craftsmanship involved. She consulted with a prominent Australian art collector and together they arrived at the price for which she did end up selling the quilt. Are you ready? It sold for $70,000 (AU) which is approx. $74,000 American!! Here’s a quote from her about the sale.

“People are both proud and pleased for me, and see the sale as a victory for all of us. I feel proud for us too. We all know how much work is involved in all styles of embroidery and quilting, but it largely goes under the radar in the general public’s eye…I really did put a lot of effort into it and have always been an advocate for asking a realistic price for our work. We know how much we put in, and how many generations of women have made their homes beautiful and warm and developed amazing art and skill without recognition from the wider community. We deserve it.”

I agree!