Quilted wall hanging banner inspires

HOME-MADE: Irene Strand, pictured with husband Graeme Strand, with a banner she created for The Lodge, at Sevenoaks, Paraparaumu.

The Lodge, an aged care hospital run by Kapiti Retirement Trust at Sevenoaks, Paraparaumu, has been presented with a very special wall hanging.

The banner has been designed and quilted by Irene Strand, a well-known local quilter and resident of the trust's Midlands Gardens Retirement Village.

Mrs Strand said the banner depicted the beauty of Sevenoaks including gardens, buildings, birdlife, lake and more.

The banner would be used for the life and leisure department to take to intervillage retirement games, and would be on display in the foyer at The Lodge.

It incorporates digital photographs as well as many examples of traditional 3-D quilting and trimmings including intricate details such as seven quilted oak leaves, the centre of each embellished with real acorns.

"This is just such an extraordinary act of kindness from Irene," trust chief executive Wendy Huston said.

"It is such a joy to have on display at the entrance to The Lodge.

"People are constantly stopping to view and become engrossed in it, as the longer you look, the more you find.

"For example beading on the kowhai flowers which gleam as light hits.

"The planning, creativity and hours and hours of stitching that have gone into creating this piece of art is just extraordinary."

Mrs Strand took about three months to create the banner, supported by husband Graeme who was awarded honorary life membership of the trust in 2013 for his many years of service to the trust's governance board.

"I'm very proud of what I have achieved," she said.