Pat Parker & Jenny Williamson

Jenny and Pat were born and grew up in Johannesburg, being third generation South Africans.

Neither can remember a time in their lives when they were not surrounded by fabric and were not engaged in some form of handwork, be it dressmaking or embroidery.  Therefor when South African women started doing patchwork during the 70’s it seemed natural for them to become involved in the quilting process.

They started teaching quilting in 1978 and over the years have conducted basic, intermediate and advanced courses in piecing, appliqué, quilting and embroidery.  They have taught courses at many of the South African National Quilt Festivals starting in 1988.

They have presented a lecture/slideshow of African quilts that has been most enthusiastically received by both quilters and non-quilters at International Congresses held in South Africa and abroad.

• 1991: Both Jenny and Pat had quilts, namely MIRACLE OF NAMAQUALAND and STARLIGHT OVER AFRICA, exhibited at the South African Exhibition at Houston, USA
• 1991:.Jenny and Pat were the co-coordinators of the National Quilt festival held in Johannesburg (Quilts on Safari)
• 1998: They published a book called “QUILTS ON SAFARI” with 98 pages and 80 colour plates.  The book contained complete instructions for 10 quilts and an African doll.
• 1998: Their quilt LEAP YEAR IN THE LOWVELD was juried into C & T Publishing’s Baltimore Album Revival Quilt Show and Contest held at the Pacific International Quilt Festival California USA.
• 1999: In August Jenny and Pat were invited to lecture and exhibit their quilts at the British Quilt Exhibition held in Harrogate.
• 1999: In October, 13 of their quilts were exhibited at the Houston Quilt Festival, where they conducted teaching courses at the Quilt Market.
• 1999:  Jenny’s quilt “Fertility” juried into Innovative Threads, Cape Town..
• 2000: In May they curated an Exhibition of South African quilts at the Waterloo County Quilt Festival, Canada.  Here they presented their slide show and conducted teaching courses.
• 2004: Jenny and Pat’s second book “QUILT AFRICA” was published.  Subsequently translated into French.
• 2004:  Jenny’s quilt “CAN’T SEE THE WOODS FOR THE LEAVES” juried into Innovative Threads.  Now in the First Rand Bank Collection.
• 2005:  In April Jenny and Pat were invited to be part of the teaching faculty at the American Quilters Society Quilt Show held in Paducah USA, where they also exhibited the quilts from their book “Quilt Africa”.
• 2005:  Jenny’s quilt “Shifting Sands” juried into Innovative Threads.  Now in the First Rand Bank Collection.
• 2006 Jenny and Pat invited by Quilt Tsushin to take Exhibition of South African quilts to International Quilt Week held in Osaka, Japan.
• 2008: Their third book:” QUILT THE BELOVED COUNTRY” was published. Also published in Australia under the Title: “QUILT THE BELOVED AFRICA”.