Our Story

What is this about?

This is a project initiated and developed by The Tapestry Trust of New Zealand Inc. to create more than a hundred embroidered panels depicting the history of Aotearoa. We are a charitable trust supported in our endeavour by members of the Association of New Zealand Embroiderers’ Guilds (ANZEG), and other keen stitchers, who give their time to stitching the panels for us. This is a long term project and will change and adapt as events in the future shape our rich history still further.

Background

At the end of 2008 Fred Haslam, an Otago businessman, approached the then President of the Otago Embroiderers’ Guild with the idea of stitching tapestries telling the story of New Zealand. He had recently seen the Bayeux Tapestry and was keen to see the history of New Zealand in stitched form.

The Trust was formed with Barry Clark, Fred Haslam, Jeanette Trotman, Margaret Kennedy and Margaret Erskine as trustees. A designer was found and the History Department of the University of Otago provided 123 suggestions for topics and events that could be the basis of the panels.

New Zealand materials were sourced and purchased. The fabric was woven by Stansborough Mills in the Wairarapa from wool grown by sheep they have specially bred. It was then spun by Mosgiel Woollen Mills in Milton and returned to Stansborough for weaving. Applications for funding then began.

The Association of New Zealand Embroidery Guilds (ANZEG) has supported our efforts by giving us space at bi-ennial conferences to explain ourselves and by allowing us to have an article in each copy of Threads magazine. Many members of the organisation have stitched on the panels for us and we are very grateful for the time they have given.

Fred passed away at the end of 2010 but his vision is still with us. We envisage that The Tapestry Panels of New Zealand, when complete, will tell the story of these islands in embroidery.