For Eastern Southland Embroiderers’ Guild members Pam Mckenzie and Eleanor Wilson, that cliche could not be more true.
The pair have spent the past four years creating an embroidered tapestry with an environmentalism theme.
Ms Mckenzie said they were tasked to create the tapestry by the Association of New Zealand Embroiders’ Guilds.
"I guess they gave it to us because we’re in a rural area."
The tapestry would be displayed at the "A Stitch in Time" exhibition in Dunedin next month.
The pair were conscious that they needed to finish the project before the exhibition.
"It was quite a big project.
"At the start we didn’t even know how to start it."
Other members of the guild had lent themselves to help with the project.
Mrs Wilson said it was a goal to finally complete it.
To do so she had taken it home to get some extra work in.
"It was good to have a man's perspective."
Her husband had hunted many times and been helpful in making sure the animals depicted in the tapestry looked correct, she said.
An example was the jaw-bone he proposed to be added to the stag.
"Just little things and it’s been quite fun to do."
The animals depicted were all introduced species.
Fifty-nine guilds from throughout New Zealand have also created tapestries and will have them displayed.
