Art Quilt for Soldiers
Lucy Carroll has ties with the Defence Forces from her Australian Defence Force Academy days in her late teens. Her husband currently serves in the Navy and is working on Operation Slipper in Afghanistan. When she lost one of her classmates, Lieutenant Michael Fussell in an Improvised Explosive Device attack (IED) in 2008, and other servicemen were returning home physically and psychologically wounded, two other ex-classmates hatched a plan to create awareness for and assistance to our returning soldiers. Soldier On was established in 2012 to give those who have served for our country the dignity they deserve and the chance to do and be whatever they choose, through providing access to inspirational activities, supporting rehabilitation and providing opportunities that empower individuals.
Lucy explained, “It was a real shock for me to hear about Lieutenant Michael Fussell’s death at such a young age. Back then it was easier to pretend we were bulletproof and that nothing would happen to us.”
“I believe Soldier On has an important role to play in our wounded soldiers’ lives and I wanted to be able to contribute. I realised I could do this through my obsession with textiles and fabric and I got quilting! My fascination with textiles began when I learnt to sew at the age of four, but I’ve only started making art quilts in the last 12 months. I love how you can create such an array of images with depth and texture. I know you shouldn’t touch quilts, but I enjoy watching my children touching the things I make to see how they feel. They can draw you in!”
Lucy’s quilt was displayed at the Royal Canberra Show in February as part of the Centenary of Canberra celebrations, and will feature at other shows around Australia throughout the year. “I hope to have as many people as possible see the quilt and hear the story behind it to spread awareness of their work with this quilt,” she added.
Ultimately, Lucy hopes the quilt will sell and all proceeds will be donated to Soldier On. More information can be obtained at Lucy’s website: www.lucycarrolltextiles.com
Aussie Hero Quilts is another excellent organization supporting our soldiers overseas. Jan-Maree sends donated quilts to the hospital in Kandahar which then travel with our soldiers when they are injured – providing a small piece of home comfort at a very difficult time in their lives.
To find out more about what Soldier On needs and how anyone can help, go to their website: www.soldieron.org.au
Read about all the great work organised by Aussie Hero Quilts at www.aussieheroquilts.blogspot.com.au