Conquilt is a record of nearly one hundred of the attending authors, editors, publishers and illustrators to Aussiecon 4, the 68th World Science Fiction Convention held in Melbourne Australia in September 2010. Signatures (and the odd sketch) were collected throughout the convention and assembled into this colourful quilt by Rachel Holkner and award-winning quilter Jeanette Holkner, based on the pattern ‘Tribble Trouble’ by Martha Thompson. It measures 152 cm x 192 cm with a 5cm diameter rod pocket on the back for easy display..
Conquilt will be on display throughout Continuum 7. There will be an auction launch at 8.45pm on Friday 10 June in the Earth Room, so if you’re in Melbourne, you can come in and see it for yourself! The quilt will be auctioned on eBay beginning at 9pm on Friday 10 June 2011 and ending on 20 June. The exact URL will be posted on the official Conquilt page, or you can search simply eBay for “conquilt”.
All funds raised by this auction will benefit Continuum, Melbourne’s own annual Speculative Fiction and Pop Culture Convention.
I was lucky enough to be asked to sign one of the panels and feel very honoured to be included among such speculative fiction luminaries. Just look at all these amazingly talented folks who’ve put pen to fabric:
Alan Baxter Alastair Reynolds Alisa Krasnostein Alison Croggon Amanda Pillar Andrew J. McKiernan Angie Rega Bill Congreve Bob Eggleton Carrie Vaughn Cat Sparks Catherynne M. Valente Charles Stross China Mieville Chris Miles (an associate of H. I. Larry) Chuck McKenzie Cory Doctorow Deborah Biancotti Delia Sherman Dirk Flinthart Duncan Lay Fiona McIntosh Foz Meadows Gail Carriger Garth Nix George Ivanoff George R. R. Martin Gillian Polack Glenda Larke Grace Duggan Howard Tayler Ian Irvine Ian Nichols Jane Routley Jason Nahrung Jay Lake Jean Johnson Jenner Jennifer Fallon Jetse de Vries John Scalzi Jonathan Strahan Juliet Marillier K. A. Bedford K. J. Taylor Kaaron Warren Kaja Foglio Karen Haber Karen Healey Kate Elliot Kate Paulk Kathleen Jennings Keith Stevenson Kim Stanley Robinson Kirstyn McDermott Kyla Ward Lara Morgan Leanne Hall Lisa L. Hannett Lucy Sussex Marianne de Pierres Mary Victoria Matthew Hughes Michael Pryor Michelle Marquardt Narrelle M. Harris Nick Stathopoulos Nicole R. Murphy Paul Collins Paul Cornell Paul Haines Peter M. Ball Peter V. Brett Phil Foglio Richard Harland Rjurik Davidson Rob Shearman Robert Hood Robert Silverberg Russell B. Farr Russell Blackford Russell Kirkpatrick Seanan McGuire Shane Jiraya Cummings Shaun Tan Sue Bursztynski Tansy Rayner Roberts Tehani Wessely Tracey O’Hara Trent Jamieson Trudi Canavan
Just quietly, I think that’s going to be one hotly contested auction!
Kirstyn McDermott 
.Dystopian fiction often makes the progression from our now to some imagined future an easy one to follow but that still doesnt mean that its what the author believes or even warns will happen.