Wakatipu embroiderers carefully unwrapped and displayed 120 pieces for "Colourific", the national invitational exhibition organised by the Association of New Zealand Embroiderers' Guilds (ANZEG).
Members of more than 50 guilds supplied either traditional 3D "stumpwork", or contemporary embroidery, created by either hand or machine and either stretched or framed, over the past 12 months.
Wakatipu talents represented include Winne Christie, Cheryl Collie and Suzanne Mahaffie, all of Queenstown, with Jan Crawford, Gay Downing and Kath Evans, all of Frankton, plus Heather Guise, of Arrowtown, Rosanne Weir, of Gibbston, and Jenny Tayler, of Garston.
A third of the 120 artworks will be for sale, for prices ranging from $150 to $1500.
The Arrowtown showcase will also boast a dozen of the 34 embroidered pieces which were entered in the Ode to the Blues themed ANZEG and Bernina challenge and were exhibited in the Craft & Quilt Fair in Hamilton earlier this month. The overall winner, merit winner and viewer's choice will be among the dozen displayed in the museum's gallery.
Award-winning embroider and graphic and textile designer Dianne Van Brandenburg, of Lake Hayes, is the guest exhibitor in "Colourific",with a dozen pieces presented on the back wall.
Mrs Downing, ANZEG Otago-Southland regional representative, said on Monday there was a wide variety of interpretations of the "Colourific" theme, "from flowers in the garden to hot-air balloons, a hippy piece to a street in London."
About 60 enthusiasts were expected to attend the public opening night on Friday.
ANZEG president Margaret Erskine, of Gore, will officially open the exhibition, which runs until October 30. Entry is by gold-coin donation.
Patrons can vote for their favourite embroidery.
The viewer's choice award recipient will win a $100 voucher.
