ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collection

HMSS 0238 Wrap Up Canberra Records

Scope and Content Notes

Call Number	HMSS 0238
Collection	Wrap Up Canberra Records
Date Range	2003-2011
Quantity	0.45m (3 manuscript boxes)
Access Conditions	Open
File Number	-
Related Collections	-

Wrap Up Canberra was a response by a group of Canberra women to the devastation of the 2003 Bushfires.

A group of friends, who 15 years earlier had created patchwork quilts and organised an exhibition and sale of quilts to fundraise for an ill friend, formed to co-ordinate the knitting of woollen patchwork rugs to support Canberrans who lost their homes in the January 18 fire.

The women recognised that many people in Canberra, other parts of Australia and even overseas were keen to do something practical to help those who lost everything. The intention was to create 530 woollen patchwork as a tangible keepsake representing the support of the Canberra and wider community.

A set of simple instructions for the knitting and crocheting of woollen squares to be patched together to make the rugs was developed and distributed.

18cm squares were knitted or crocheted in woollen 8ply yarn. Approximately 63 were sewn, knitted or crocheted together to create rugs approximately 160 cm x 125cm in size.

The committee of Dianna Budd, Rosemary Cutter, Chris Faulks, Dianne Firth, Rosanna Hindmarsh, Diana Lampe, Sally Milner, Patti Mulcare and Jane Smyth received more than 45,000 squares to create over 800 rugs.

More than 2,200 individual knitters and crocheters contributed to the project from all over Australia as well as from Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

The rugs were exhibited at Parliament House, Canberra between 6 and 8 September 2003. Bushfire affected families were invited to the exhibition and to express interest in individual rugs. The exhibition was opened on Friday 5 September by Marlene Jeffrey, wife of the Governor General. It was her first official function and fulfilled while she was recovering from surgery.

The rugs were distributed through the ACT Bushfire Recovery Centre in late 2003.

Box List

BOX NO	DESCRIPTION	NUMBER OF FILES	DATE RANGE
1	Correspondence mostly printed emails	1 file	2003

1	Follow-up and Delivery documenting transfer of responsibilities to the ACT Bushfire Recovery Centre and other agencies	1 file	2003-2011

1	Exhibition arrangements for exhibition held Parliament House Canberra September 2003	1 file	2003

1	List of Contributors	1 file	2003

1	Correspondence mostly with contributors to and recipients of rugs	1 file	2003

1	General Housekeeping may include financial records	1 file	2003

2	Publicity and Stationery examples of promotional materials and stationery	1 file	2003

2	Photographs 909 photographs the rugs Colour prints of the exhibition and of members of the group.	1 cd 14 prints	2003 2003

3	Rug Wool and acrylic rug comprised of hand-knitted squares crocheted together.	1 file	2003

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HMSS 0238 Wrap Up Canberra Records

Scope and Content Notes

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