As Trundle university student Maggie Anderson embarks on the exciting next stage in her young life, her HSC year could almost be described as that of a fairytale ending.
Not only did the teenager place second in the state in her HSC for textiles and design last year, her Year 12 folio project - an exquisite quilt based on traditional fairytales - was so impressive it was selected to feature in TEXStyle 2025.
TEXStyle is the annual showcase of excellence in HSC textiles and design, featuring more than 30 exemplary major textiles projects submitted by HSC students across the state, including furnishings, apparel, textile art and costume.
It's all on exhibition now at Gallery 76 in Sydney (76 Queen Street, Concord West) until 24 April.
"I was so excited, I had no idea I was second in the state," Maggie said.
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"It's such a mix of emotions actually - excited and surprised but also a huge relief, like 'thank goodness all that hard work amounted to something'."
Maggie is the daughter of Debbie and Digger Anderson of Trundle, who run a family farm out towards Condobolin.
As a student at Kinross Wolaroi School in Orange, her major HSC piece in her textiles and design subject involved hand crafting a 185cm by 155cm quilt and preparing a 12-page report explaining her work and what she experimented with.
She called it 'When Wishing Was Effective', drawing from traditional fairy tales after sifting through old books and some online research.
"In research I found that's how old fairy tales used to begin - 'In the olden times when wishing was still effective'," Maggie said.
And there is so much more to the quilt than meets the eye.
It features motifs, princesses and birds, and many different types of flowers.
Each flower is unique in the sense that Maggie illustrated each one, cut them out, hand-dyed and applicated them on to give a raised texture.
There are six different quotes that Maggie selected from fairy tales, such as Cinderella, Snow White, 12 Huntsman, the Golden Goose and 12 Dancing Princesses, that adorn the edges of the quilt.
"My favourite is 'Once upon a time in the middle of winter when snowflakes were falling from the sky like feathers, a queen sat sewing' which is from Snow White," she said.
"I wanted to include historic elements as well, so I have doilies from my grandmother's collection that were applicated on.
"It's a traditional style of patchwork where fabric blocks are incorporated in a modern asymmetrical layout.
"I wanted to show how historical stories have morphed and transcended into modern society."
In total the quilt took Maggie a year to create, from the idea and beginning the design process to the finished product hanging at the school during its textile showcase night.
It consumed all of her free time after school, on weekends and during holidays.
A highlight for Maggie was seeing it on the catwalk at the school's showcase.
"While it wasn't an outfit, a friend of mine dressed in pjs and walked down the catwalk with the quilt draped over his shoulder," she laughed.
"It's more for show than practical use as it's a bit delicate.
"I can finally really appreciate it and be proud of it.
"It was a massive weight off my shoulders when it was finished."
Her hardest challenge, and not one you'd expect, was having to draw the full design of the quilt before even threading the needle.
"I'm a very visual person, I like to do it as I go and see how it evolves over time," Maggie said.
Since her teacher specialised in clothing and hadn't done quilting before, Maggie turned to the experience and expertise of the women in her family - her father's mum is a quilter, so is her aunty and her mother can sew.
"Being at school and away from home made it tricky but I would call when I needed to, they were great for advice on certain techniques," she said.
"I've made a few quilts before but nothing this intricate.
"I actually entered the Braidwood Quilt Show at the end of last year and I received a first and a second."
Maggie has started her first year with Australian National University in Canberra, studying a double degree in arts and international relations.
She's very interested in arts history and is excited to see where her studies take her.
