Eucalyptus Baby Blanket
Acknowledgement of Country
I want to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I live and work, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. I pay my respects to their Elders, past, present, and emerging, and I honour their deep and enduring connection to Country.
I also wish to extend this acknowledgement to the Dharawal and Dharug language groups, whose lands I had the privilege of visiting on the field trip to Bundanon. It was there that I began to understand the sacred practice of listening to Country, which continues to shape my approach to craft and design. I give thanks to these communities for the knowledge and inspiration they have shared, reminding us all of the importance of caring for and respecting the land that sustains us.
Concept & Collaboration
This project emerged through a respectful dialogue with Indigenous community members on Dharawal and Dhurga Country, where I listened to shared histories, cultural knowledge, and practices. Rooted in these exchanges, I developed a design that would honour both Indigenous traditions and my own matrilineal heritage of textile craft.
The central aim was to explore the role of craft in fostering community, a value deeply embedded in both Indigenous cultural practices and my personal experience. I chose to create a baby blanket, symbolising care, continuity, and cultural transmission.
The central aim was to explore the role of craft in fostering community, a value deeply embedded in both Indigenous cultural practices and my personal experience. I chose to create a baby blanket, symbolising care, continuity, and cultural transmission.
Material & Techniques
100% wool, dyed using eucalyptus leaves naturally collected around Gadigal and Cammeraygal Land
Techniques:
- Natural dye extraction
- Designing with punch-hole patterns
- Colour palette development
- Swatch and pattern experimentation
The Final Outcome
The final product is a hand-knitted baby blanket using a custom-designed punch-hole Fair Isle pattern. Its warm, earthy tones reflect the natural dye palette drawn from eucalyptus leaves, and its texture evokes comfort, security, and familial care.
Beyond functionality, the blanket serves as a material story, an object that weaves together Indigenous knowledge systems, sustainable practice, and the legacy of matriarchal textile-making in my own family.
This work is an homage to my mother, who crochets baby blankets for new mothers in her circle an act of community, care, and matrilineal solidarity. It draws a meaningful parallel between her practice and the deep cultural and communal significance of craft in Indigenous cultures.
Creating this piece allowed me to reflect on how the act of making textiles is a form of connection and aligning with country I hope to continue developing work that respectfully engages with Country and Community, while deepening the ties between contemporary design and ancestral knowledge.
Beyond functionality, the blanket serves as a material story, an object that weaves together Indigenous knowledge systems, sustainable practice, and the legacy of matriarchal textile-making in my own family.
Personal Connection & Reflection
This work is an homage to my mother, who crochets baby blankets for new mothers in her circle an act of community, care, and matrilineal solidarity. It draws a meaningful parallel between her practice and the deep cultural and communal significance of craft in Indigenous cultures.
Creating this piece allowed me to reflect on how the act of making textiles is a form of connection and aligning with country I hope to continue developing work that respectfully engages with Country and Community, while deepening the ties between contemporary design and ancestral knowledge.