When two gifted quilters answered a quiet call for help, they stitched more than fabric.

They stitched memory, respect and community into every thread.

The two quilted panels now hanging in Jamberoo’s RSL Hall began their journey in Broken Hill.

Barbara Adams, president of the local Red Cross, saw them in a craft store and immediately felt their potential.

Robyn Thomson (L) and Teresa MacPherson (R) at Jamberoo RSL Hall, where their handmade remembrance quilts honour generations of service and sacrifice.

Photo: Linda Faiers

She brought them back home, hoping they’d find someone to bring them to life.

That connection was made by Annette Hoskins, the Community Coordinator of the Kiama Quilters Guild and a long-time volunteer with the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI).

Annette is known for quietly connecting people and projects with purpose.

She brought the panels to the Guild and asked if anyone might be willing to quilt them. Two members,Teresa MacPherson and Robyn Thomson, stepped forward.

What followed was a labour of love, generosity and quiet pride.

Teresa, who moved to Kiama five years ago, discovered the quilting group through The Bugle and has found a deep sense of belonging through her involvement.

Though she modestly downplays her role, describing herself as “just one of a team,” it’s clear her contribution was heartfelt.

“Anything that involves community, I love to be part of,” she said. “And being able to contribute to the Anzac spirit means a great deal to me. I lost relatives in the World Wars, so this was personal.”

For Robyn, quilting has been a part of life for 30 years, but it wasn’t until moving to Kiama that she joined a group.

Originally from Australia, she spent decades living in Scotland and the United States before returning with her husband, who now works remotely in immunology research.

“It’s a pleasure, really,” Robyn said. “But it’s selfish too. I do it because I enjoy it.”

Teresa MacPherson and Robyn Thomson in front of a commemorative poppy quilt at Jamberoo RSL. The quilt, stitched with teamwork and care, honours those who served and includes handmade poppies contributed by fellow community quilters. Photo: Linda Faiers

The pair are long-time contributors to community quilting projects, especially those that support the Children’s Medical Research Institute through the Genes for Jeans campaign.

But last Saturday’s unveiling of their Anzac quilts in Jamberoo was something new. They were present. They were celebrated. “A little overwhelming,” Robyn said. “But very, very nice.”

Each quilt, while based on a pre-printed panel, was brought to life by hand.

Other members of the quilting group were invited to create beautiful crocheted and knitted poppies, which were then carefully attached to the quilts, adding a special handmade touch.

The added details, including crocheted poppies and careful stitching, reflect a shared effort. It’s a striking example of what happens when quiet craft meets community care.

As Teresa put it, “We thought we’d just send them off and maybe one day get down to Jamberoo to see them.

🎥✨ A stitch in time... unveiled! Watch this beautiful moment as Barbara Adams, President of the Jamberoo Red Cross, unveils two stunning quilts honouring Vietnam War veterans.

But then we were invited to the march and the morning tea. It was such a lovely acknowledgement.”

Now hanging in Jamberoo’s RSL Hall, these quilts are not just beautiful.

They are a reminder of those we honour, and of the people who quietly, lovingly, remember them.