Quilt Show Judges

We are very pleased to introduce our Judges for the 2026 Quilt Show.

Dianne Barnden

I have been an avid quilter for 28 years, starting when I signed up to a night class at the local college. Little did I know just what an impact that class would have on my life.

I love all things quilting and I’m not sure if I have a style of quilting that defines me. I do have a love for Kaffe Fassett fabrics, and recently I have been playing around with scrap quilts in order to diminish some of my stash. I like to think I am a finisher, even though it can take me a while to do so, and some quilts do need time out before completion.

I love to teach and introduce quilting into the lives of other like-minded people and watch their own quilt journey unfold.

Through quilting I have met the most amazing people, and found a creative outlet which has shaped my life.

I live in Raumati South with my husband Chris, a mad dog called Suzy and a cat called Roo.

Dianne Southey

Dianne (from Palmerston North) has had a full and varied life immersed in

patchwork & quilting since 1985, owning a quilt shop for 40 years and

teaching patchwork since 1988. Pattern and colour play a big part in her

choices, with piecing, machine applique and machine quilting featuring in

most of her quilts.

Dianne machine quilts all her own quilts believing “quilting makes the quilt”.

She loves to create with textiles, has designed 40+ patterns for Jelly Roll Quilts,

loves fabric dyeing and discharge dyeing, painting and drawing on fabric and enjoys sharing her knowledge with students, encouraging them to take her ideas and “run with it”.

Dianne is a Life Member of Rose City Quilters, a group she love being part of, and has been Convenor for 2 National Quilt Symposia held in Palmerston North in 2007 and 2015, and has taught around NZ and at several Symposia as well as locally in Palmerston North