Quilting with the Stars: Taupō Quiltmakers exhibition to celebrate Matariki

Quilting with the Stars Exhibition convenor Linda Bishop and Taupō Quiltmakers president Janine Peters with some of the 130 pieces in the exhibition. Photo / Supplied

All the colours of the rainbow, and more, emblazoned upon a sea of quilts will set the scene for this year's Taupō Quiltmakers' Quilting with the Stars Exhibition.

The Great Lake Centre will be festooned with more than 130 large and small quilts.

This year to celebrate the new New Zealand public holiday of Matariki, the challenge quilt section is called Matariki and Me.

Members have used their quilting and patchwork skills to make small quilts that depict their own personal thoughts and feelings of Matariki.

There is always a huge variety of inspiring quilt designs and diverse techniques, with both traditional and contemporary techniques on display.

Attendees are encouraged to vote for the Viewers' Choice Awards.

Wendy Welsh, of Wellington, is the guest exhibitor this year. Wendy's work is fabulous, she makes modern quilts and hand quilts them with coloured thread.

The exhibition is open from 10am to 4pm, Friday, June 24 to Sunday, June 26. Admission is $5.

Taupō Quiltmakers was formed more than 30 years ago and today has a strong membership of 70.

The club environment offers members a place where they can share their skills and learn new ones, through workshops, external tutors, retreats, UFO (unfinished objects) days and fortnightly club nights.

Taupō Quiltmakers members make and donate community quilts to people in need, mainly in partnership with Victim Support. Also, every Christmas the club supports the local Woman's Refuge with gifts of Christmas stockings filled with items for women or children.

For more information phone Janine Peters 021 132 4728 or Margaret Beck on 07 384 8451.

Matariki: What's on in the Taupō District

There are plenty of events happening to celebrate Matariki in the Taupō District. Here are just some of them.

Matariki Art Exhibition at ZeaYou Gallery
June 24 10am–2pm, June 25 10am–3pm, June 26 11am–2pm, June 29 10am–4pm, June 30 10am–4pm.

Matariki Community Kai Collection
Bring some hope this Matariki and make a donation of non-perishable food items to support the wellbeing of whānau in our community. You can drop donations into any of Taupō District libraries from June 17 to 30.

Collected items will be donated to Te Korowai Roopu Tautoko Pataka Kai in Taupō and Tūrangi, and to the Mangakino Food Bank to help top up these incredible service providers who have worked tirelessly to support our community impacted by Covid-19 and the rising cost of living.

Matariki Gratitude Stars
A fun, free, creative Matariki activity for tamariki is to decorate a Matariki Gratitude Star and add it to the community display at your library. Come into any of Taupō District libraries until June 25 to colour in and embellish your star.

Matariki Library Star Trail
On June 25 bring the whānau along to Taupō Library or Tūrangi Library and follow the Matariki Star Trail, learning about the nine stars of Matariki as you follow a trail of themed activity and craft stations.

Rapua ngā whetū Matariki/Matariki Star Hunt
June 18-26 at Taupō Museum
Can you name all the nine stars of Matariki? In place of the world-famous dinosaur hunt, and to celebrate Matariki there are 10 stars hidden in Taupō Museum. Can you help find them?

Craft-Fashion Design Kit
June 18 to August 15 at Taupō Museum
Express your personal style. Sketch out garments then cut and drape fabric using offcuts provided by Jeanine Clarking and Taupō Museum. Create your own designs and test them of 2D couture paper dolls or dress forms. For fashion-forward inspiration, visit the exhibition Te Aho Tapu Hou: The new sacred thread.

Craft – star creation
June 17-26 at Taupō Museum
Make a star out of wool. This gives time to think about the meaning behind the Matariki stars and meditate on a new goal or reflect on the past year. Children can also involve themselves in the festivities through this activity independently. The stars can be taken away with the children or displayed in the gallery.

Sausage Sizzle
June 24 at Taupō Museum
Come along to a free sausage sizzle in the beautiful Ora Garden of wellbeing. The sausage sizzle will start at 11am and run until everything is gone.

Toro Pikopiko
June 24 at Taupō Museum
Toro Pikopiko will have various puppet stations where participants can play and circulate from station to station, singing to waiata and engaging with the themes of Matariki. They will be running 30-minute workshops in the Niven Room for tamariki up to 10 years of age. Bookings are essential as spaces are limited. Time slots are in the morning only at 10.30am, 11am or 11.30am.

Matariki Night Kai Market
5.30pm, June 23 at Tauhara Primary School courts
Cash sales only. All money raised will help buy new kapa haka uniforms for the school's tamariki.

Matariki Historical Cycle Tour
June 24
Cycle the Taupō Lakefront and learn the history of Taupō and significant historical sites with Taupō Museum's programmes & engagement coordinator Hawira Karaitiana.
All you need is a bike, helmet and basic bike handling skills. It's free to join the tour but places are limited and will fill quickly, so register now.
Find out more and register at www.taupodc.govt.nz/roadsafety.